Reports suggest that Commissioners decided some time ago to penalise the companies and were merely deliberating over the scale of fines appropriate in the case.
There may also be too few small businesses because small-business owners may find it difficult to access credit markets without collateral, or administrative costs of complying with the appropriate laws may make small-scale firms less competitive.
However, the statement said that "given the current scale of organisational change, Dr Flanagan feels that the appropriate time to take this step is now".
Mr Moscovici said his words were "not entirely appropriate because France is a country that does not need to shut down its public services on a massive scale".