Regulation 1/2003: a modernised application of EC competition rules

In February 1997, DG Competition started internal works on the reform of Regulation 17. The starting point of these works was a threefold finding: enlargement will take place in the near future, the notification system is no longer an effective tool for enforcing competition rules and the development of Community competition law allows companies to assess themselves the legality of their agreements and practices. It quickly became obvious that a simple improvement of the existing administrative procedures would not suffice to face the upcoming challenges competition law was facing and a profound change was required to ensure an efficient protection of the rules of the Treaty in an enlarged Community.