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Casinos> 2007
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Concern Over Reported French Moves To Axe Eu Accessibility
Clauses
Details still unclear on French government spokesman's
comments
Ripples of concern were widening through EU nations today over
reports on a French government spokesman's comment that France's
new president Nicolas Sarkozy wants to axe a clause that makes 'free
and undistorted competition' a goal for the 27-nation European Union
in a draft treaty.
Whilst details of the claim were sparse as we went to press, there
were reports that Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany opposed
the French proposal, claiming that a number of European countries
were facing EC legal action over their protectionist policies that
excluded other EU nations from their markets, and that there should
be no limits on free competition among EU states.
A spokesperson for the European Commission, Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen,
reiterated President Jose Barroso's position that "....there
can be no rollback on the achievements of the core policies of the
European Union.''
Tom Kelly, who spoke on behalf of Britain's outgoing Prime Minister
Tony Blair said the French-inspired move did not mean any "change
or challenge to competition'' in the EU but did not elaborate further.
Meanwhile ATE Online reported that in Belgium the Global Competition
Law Centre at the College of Europe had expressed "serious
concerns'' over the French bid.
"Open and undistorted competition within Europe has been [the
goal of the EU] over the past 50 years – and still is –
a guarantee of free economic initiative and, ultimately of economic
democracy,'' the group said in a statement.
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