The issue focused on co-operatives, with Frans Timmermans, the Commission's vice president in charge of competition policy, saying that "co-operative models are not only about profit and loss; they can also be an important economic driver for both private and public sector companies."

In his speech, Mr Timmermans said: "As a company you could say that we were looking at things from a corporate point of view. And as a business it is very important to know what your competitors