EU’s new competition chief signals reform of anti-trust and state aid rules

Teresa Ribera left her post as Spain’s deputy prime minister to take up office last week as the EU’s second-most powerful official. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images

The EU’s new competition chief has signalled a shake-up of anti-trust rules to make it easier for innovative companies to merge, as well as a relaxation of state aid policy to spur the green transition.

In her first major speech since taking office last week, Teresa Ribera said EU merger and anti-trust rules needed to “take full account of innovation and future competition”, signalling a move towards the reform agenda laid out by the former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi in a widely feted report.