State monopoly

In Europe, state monopolies dictate air fares, international telephone charges and postal tariffs. Because of a lack of competition these, usually state-owned, companies can get away with unreliable service and poor value for money. Following the spate of bank mergers during the economic adjustments of the late 1980s and early 90s, complaints have arisen about loss of competition between banks and apparent collusion on maintaining high interest rates. State-owned monopolies dominate electricity and gas industries in almost every EEC/EU country, to the degree that, in 1991, ten governments were put on notice by the EC competition commissioner to liberalize their "cartel-like" arrangements.