European Commission report into the business insurance sector: Resource Centre

In September 2007, the European Commission published its report into the business insurance sector. Below is a selection of relevant links from the European Commission and Steptoe & Johnson.

Commission materials

• The Commission's paper on the new insurance block exemption regulation (BER).
• For "speed read", see the Commission's press release.       
• Frequently Asked Questions.
• The Commission's business insurance sector inquiry site - which includes the interim report and other past materials.
• The Final Report contains subject matter of the webinar on 13 November.
• View a related Commission Staff Working Document.
• DG Competition Consultation Paper on Insurance Block Exemption Regulation.

Steptoe materials

Press articles in which Steptoe lawyers comment on the inquiry:

• Business Insurance: European block exemption plan worries insurance industry (19 October, 2009)
• Insurance Day: Industry reacts to the EC's proposals for BER changes (9 October, 2009)
• Insurance Day: European Commission is undecided on BER future (5 June, 2009)
• Global Reinsurance: Heightened Scrutiny - the EU's Block Exemption Ruling (May 2009)
• Insurance Day: Still time to influence EC decision on BER renewal (3 April, 2009)
• Commission report may spark capacity shortfall and regulatory moves: Experts (October 2007)
• Insurance Day: Reaction to Consultation on Block Exemption Regulation (April 2007)
• Review: EU antitrust report (September 2007)
• Competition block exemption for insurers may be ‘abolished’: E.C. (July 2007)
• EC investigating business insurance (July 2007)
• Insurance Day Update (April 2005)

Steptoe briefings            

• New Insurance Exemption Adopted (March 2010)
• EU Commission opens public consultation on the renewal of the Block Exemption Regulation for the insurance sector (May 2008)
• EU Commission Inquiry Into Insurance – The Final Report (September 2007)
• EU competition inquiry reveals complexity of insurance sector (February 2007)
• Update on the European Commission’s anti-trust inquiry into business insurance (January 2007)
• European competition watchdog to dissect commercial insurance… what is all the fuss about? (June 2005)
• The European Commission shifts its focus to the enforcement of competition policy in financial services (March 2005)
• Briefing: The Spitzer Investigation (December 2004)

Webcast, November 2007
Steptoe & Johnson hosted a webcast on 13 November 2007, with representatives from the EU Commission, to discuss the report. The webcast has since been referenced in articles by leading insurance journals, Insurance Day and Business Insurance Europe. The Insurance Day articles are below:

• EC explains transparency meaning for practitioners, Insurance Day, 19 November, 2007
• Industry prepares to reply to the EC’s subs investigation, Insurance Day, 29 November, 2007

Webcast, June 2008

Steptoe & Johnson hosted a webcast on the EU Consultation on the Insurance Block Exemption on 18 June 2008. Steptoe lawyers were joined by representatives from the EU Commission, as well as the Austrian Insurance Association (VVO) and Assurpol.

• The EU Consultation on the Insurance Block Exemption, Webcast slides, 18 June 2008
• BER time is running out for industry, Insurance Day, 23 June 2008