policy statement suggests that the former is the more important of the two potential objectives, but that both are of signifcance: “Efective competition enables businesses to compete on equal terms across Member States, while putting them under pressure to strive continuously to ofer the best possible products at the best possible prices for consumers. This in turn drives innovation and long-term economic growth. Competition policy is thuds a key instrument for achieving a free and dynamic internal market and promoting general economic welfare.” However, although this is the focus of policymakers in the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union has emphasised its remit 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 feld 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 efects of foreign subsidies in the single market and 9 the proposed EU carbon border adjustment mechanism . In the 10 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). Procedure File: 2021/0114(COD) | Legislatve Observatory | European Parliament (europa.eu) 9 Procedure File: 2021/0214(COD) | Legislatve Observatory | European Parliament (europa.eu) 10
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