Kritiek van Spaanse minister op Europese Commissie inzake energiefusie (en)

Spain's industry minister has strongly criticised the European Commission for its moves to ensure that the country's energy market is open to competition.

Speaking to Spanish daily El Periodico, Jose Montilla accused the commission of "impertinence" following its warning earlier this month that a move by Madrid to protect electricity company Endesa from takeover by German energy giant E.ON would be against EU rules.

"Brussels' speed and impertinence in this matter surprises us, in view of its bureaucratic slowness and lack of initiative regarding other problems", said Mr Montilla, according to AFP.

The minister went on to accuse the commission of being over-zealous in some areas while neglecting others.

Referring to Spain's heavy immigration pressure from North Africa, he said Brussels should be "as sensitive to the dramas of immigration as it is to the pressures of E.ON".

Shortly after E.ON announced its interest in Endesa, Madrid passed laws giving its national merger authority more power to look into mergers that may threaten national strategic interests.

The commission then cleared E.ON's bid and began infringement proceedings against Spain for breaching the EU's rules on the single market.

"The European Commission has the right to take us before the courts, just as we have the right not to pay any heed," said Mr Montillo.

Brussels is keen to set up a European energy market by 2007 with the issue pushed to the top of the political agenda at the beginning of the year following supply shortages from Russia.