A new EU competition regime to be implemented in May could lead to the leaking of sensitive trade secrets, a policy director at the European Commission's competition division admitted last week.

Emile Paulis told corporate counsel at the international corporate counsel conference that the system will free up the commission to concentrate on enforcement against cartels.

Under the rules, most competition-related applications will be made to the national courts rather than to the commission itself.

The commission will have new enforcement powers, including the right to search the private homes of executives.

Mr Paulis said: 'Enforcement by national agencies does create a greater risk of leaks, but that is not a reason not to allow free circulation of evidence to the agencies, when cartels are able to operate freely themselves.

'If the commission passes on real business secrets [to national authorities], we will try to take certain precautions to make sure there is no leak.'

He added: 'There has been training to bring judges in the civil courts up to the level of EU enforcement, but we cannot wait for each judge to be an expert before we implement the reforms.'

Rachel Rothwell