The European Union could use the fines it gets from companies that violate antitrust rules to pay for development aid to poor countries, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said today.
At their summit this week, EU leaders are expected to endorse a commitment to pay 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product in aid by 2015, but Mr Barroso said the commission was exploring additional ways to boost aid further.
"We at the commission are thinking of an idea that I find very interesting, and that is the funds from fines imposed on companies that break competition rules could go to development aid," he told reporters at an anti-poverty event.
