MEPs fail to test Almunia, EuropeanVoice

Joaquin Almunia, the European Competition Commissioner designate, was questioned by MEPs about his views on the job in January. The hearing was somewhat lacklustre due to a preference by the MEPs for questions concerning future cooperation with Parliament over questions relating to policy. 

Almunia did, however, state that he saw IT as a key area of enforcement and that he intended to look at the issue of collective redress for those directly affected by abuses of the competittion rules. He also considered the level of fines imposed by Kroes during her tenure to be appropriate. 

Almunia Cabinet appointments
In other Almunia-related news, Europolitics carried a piece last month stating that Carlos Martinez-Mongay (Sp.), head of unit in DG Economic and Financial Affairs responsible for the economies of Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Portugal, and Guillaume Loriot (Fr), head of unit, anti-trust and merger case support at DG Competition, are to become Almunia's Head of Cabinet and Deputy Head of cabinet respectively. 

The new Commission is set to start work on 10 February after a formal vote by Parliament on 9 February. 

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