Transformations  in
Business & Economics

Competition and State Intervention under Economic Crisis Circumstances: Some Characteristics of Romania
Florin Bonciu

ABSTRACT. The research objective is to determine if the state interventions (including in case of European Union member states) in their respective economies due to the international economic crisis of 2008 – 2009 may have as a consequence the long term undermining of the competition principles. In this context the paper analyzes the magnitude of these interventions in developed countries and the extent in which these interventions affect competition policies. The conclusion is that due to the particular circumstances of these interventions as well as due to their time limit they are not affecting in the long run the competition environment but they may rather change the approach to competition. This overall research approach is then applied to the specific conditions of Romania where during 2009 there were no significant measures of state intervention as result of a combination of internal economic and political crises. From this point of view Romania appeared as an atypical subject in the European Union context. The explanation found is that the level of development of Romania determines competition issues which are not synchronized with those of more developed member states.

KEYWORDS: world economic crisis, state intervention, EU and OECD competition policy, Romanian competition and economic policy.

JEL classification: E65, P2.