European Parliament
Andrzej Jan Szejna (PSE ). –
PL)
Mr President, Community law governs mergers and acquisitions on the internal market by creating a competition policy which is one of the main Community policies and also one of its earliest. It is supposed to guarantee the removal of barriers to internal trade within the single market and to ensure that they are not replaced by other actions by businesses or governments which would distort competition.
Unfortunately, recent events have shown that in some Member States protectionist and short-sighted activities are being carried out. This applies to the German company
E.ON
which is trying to acquire the Spanish company
Endesa
, the merger of the French gas giant
Gaz de France
with
Suez
, the Italian-based, multinational fuel and energy group and the recent blocking by the Polish Government of the merger involving the
Pekao S.A
. bank and
BPH
bank, which is the product of a merger between the German
HVB Group
and the Italian
UniCredito
The opposition of the Polish Government has a dubious legal base with respect to Community law and shows Poland in an unfavourable light in relation to foreign investors. Unfortunately, this case has also become a weapon for the right-wing government in its fight against the independence of the Polish National Bank, which is also the central bank.

