INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM, TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY LAW in consumer protection, consistently interpreting EU legislation in a purposive way to maximise such protection across the bloc. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has posed particular challenges to businesses, consumers and the economy as a whole, requiring a range of measures in the field of competition to enable governments (and the EU itself) to mount an adequate response to these challenges. A number of initiatives aimed at reinforcing EU strategic autonomy in a global context are planned, such as the proposed instrument to address potential distortive effects of foreign subsidies in the single market9 and the proposed EU carbon border adjustment mechanism10. In the meantime, the EU seeks to ensure proper competition between commercial entities to the protection of both the consumer and the marketplace by way of two main mechanisms (ignoring for present purposes the provisions as to state aid and merger, which fall outside consideration of this topic). (1) The comprehensive ban on anti-competitive agreements (Article 101 TFEU 8. ARTICLE 101 TFEU Article 101 TFEU reads: “(1) The following shall be prohibited as incompatible with the internal market: all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted practices which may affect trade between Member States and which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition within the internal market, and in particular those which: (a) directly or indirectly fix purchase or selling prices or any other trading conditions; (b) limit or control production, markets, technical development, or investment; (c) share markets or sources of supply; (d) apply dissimilar conditions to equivalent transactions with other trading parties, thereby placing them at a competitive disadvantage; (e) make the conclusion of contracts subject to acceptance by the other parties 9 Procedure File: 2021/0114(COD) | Legislative Observatory | European Parliament (europa.eu) 10 Procedure File: 2021/0214(COD) | Legislative Observatory | European Parliament (europa.eu)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTE4NzM5Nw==