Efficiency and Justice in European Antitrust Enforcement

Efficiency and Justice in European Antitrust Enforcement PDF

Author: Wouter Wils

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2008-02-14

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 1847314139

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In the last few years, the public enforcement of Articles 81 and 82 EC has been thoroughly transformed: the competition authorities of the EU Member States have become active enforcers within the European Competition Network, the European Commission has imposed more and higher fines than ever before, leniency has become a major instrument of cartel detection, and some Member States have introduced criminal penalties. The overall trend towards more and stronger enforcement of Articles 81 and 82 EC has also rekindled discussion on the old question of how to strike the right balance between efficient enforcement and adequate protection of the rights of the defence. This book brings together six essays which analyse from both a legal and an economic perspective the powers of investigation of the European Commission and the competition authorities of the Member States, and the corresponding procedural rights and guarantees, the use of settlements, the theory and practice of fines and of leniency, and the criminalization of European antitrust enforcement.

Efficiency and Justice in European Antitrust Enforcement

Efficiency and Justice in European Antitrust Enforcement PDF

Author: Wouter P. J. Wils

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 9781472560193

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"In the last few years, the public enforcement of Articles 81 and 82 EC has been thoroughly transformed: the competition authorities of the EU Member States have become active enforcers within the European Competition Network, the European Commission has imposed more and higher fines than ever before, leniency has become a major instrument of cartel detection, and some Member States have introduced criminal penalties. The overall trend towards more and stronger enforcement of Articles 81 and 82 EC has also rekindled discussion on the old question of how to strike the right balance between efficient enforcement and adequate protection of the rights of the defence. This book brings together six essays which analyse from both a legal and an economic perspective the powers of investigation of the European Commission and the competition authorities of the Member States, and the corresponding procedural rights and guarantees, the use of settlements, the theory and practice of fines and of leniency, and the criminalization of European antitrust enforcement."--Bloomsbury Publishing.

Principles of European Antitrust Enforcement

Principles of European Antitrust Enforcement PDF

Author: Wouter Wils

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2005-02-22

Total Pages: 203

ISBN-13: 1847312047

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After 1 May 2004, the enforcement of European antitrust law entered a new era. At the same time as 10 new Member States joined the European Union, Regulation No 17, which had governed the enforcement of Articles 81 and 82 EC since 1962, was replaced by Regulation No 1/2003, which has ushered in far-reaching changes. This book brings together six essays which analyse the background and main characteristics of the new enforcement system, as well as a number of outstanding questions and potential areas of further reform, including the question whether private antitrust enforcement should be encouraged, and the question whether the decisional power in antitrust matters should be transferred to the courts. Special attention is given to the problem of the compatibility of the new enforcement system and of the practice of European antitrust enforcement with the requirements of the European Convention of Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, including the principle of ne bis in idem, the privilege against self-incrimination, and the right to an independent and impartial tribunal. On many of these issues, the discussion contained in this book is not only legal, but also includes an economic analysis from the perspective of efficient law enforcement.

The EU Leniency Policy

The EU Leniency Policy PDF

Author: Baskaran Balasingham

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2016-04-24

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 9041184805

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The European Union (EU) leniency programme is a key weapon in the Commission’s fight against hard-core cartels. Much of the success of EU cartel enforcement depends on the continued effectiveness of the leniency policy and is especially critical in response to the growth of private enforcement. This book offers a comprehensive description of the development of the policy, along with a normative framework that promises to ensure the full legitimacy of the leniency programme: the Commission’s policy should pursue not only effectiveness but also fairness. It is the first work to extensively analyse the effectiveness and fairness in the EU leniency policy. Proceeding systematically from clarifying the concepts of ‘effectiveness’ and ‘fairness’ to addressing the tension between leniency and private actions for damages, the author discusses the nature of, and interrelations among, such aspects as the following: – the theoretical model of the EU fining policy; – the compatibility of the EU enforcement system with fundamental rights protection; – the gathering and evaluation of evidence at the preliminary investigation stage; – the severity and foreseeability of the EU cartel fines; – judicial review by the EU Courts in competition matters; – to what extent the current policy is effective and fair; and – reforms brought about by the 2002 and 2006 Leniency Notices and the leniency-related amendments by the 2014 Antitrust Damages Directive. A key feature is the author’s presentation of a normative framework to test the effectiveness (deterrence) and substantive fairness (retribution) of the EU leniency policy. As a clear demonstration of how to forestall the danger of focusing on effectiveness of leniency at the expense of fairness, both in a substantive and in a procedural sense, this book is a major contribution to the literature of competition law. It will prove to be of great value to competition authorities, antitrust practitioners and interested academics not only in Europe but also throughout the world.

The Notion of Restriction of Competition

The Notion of Restriction of Competition PDF

Author: Damien Gerard

Publisher: Bruylant

Published: 2017-03-16

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 2802757555

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The transformations induced by the process of “modernisation”, including in its substantive dimension, as well as recent judgments by the EU Courts, have left many lawyers and economists wary as to the standards actually governing findings of antitrust infringement under EU competition law, thereby affecting their ability to advise businesses effectively on the design of their commercial practices. While not ignoring institutional constraints, this volume revisits the notion of restriction of competition in the framework of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU with a view to taking stock of recent developments, to identifying common trends and to informing the application of core EU antitrust principles in current market contexts. Associating lawyers and economists, practitioners and academics, it seeks both to revisit long-standing theories of harm to competition and to explore novel forms of antitrust concerns.

Remedies in EU Competition Law

Remedies in EU Competition Law PDF

Author: Damien Gerard

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2020-07-10

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 9403522445

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By their nature, remedies are central to competition law enforcement and represent the yardstick against which the efficiency of the overall system can be measured. Yet very rarely have remedies been treated in a horizontal and comprehensive manner from the combined perspectives of substance, process and policy. The present volume, developed in partnership with the College of Europe’s Global Competition Law Centre (GCLC), provides coherent, practical, and authoritative commentaries by leading experts from the GCLC’s incomparable network. The contributions – originally presented at the 2019 GCLC annual conference – examine remedies to assess the overall effectiveness of competition law enforcement in merger, antitrust and State aid matters. The overall topic is presented under five headings: objectives and limitations of remedies; types of remedies in competition law enforcement; implementation and process; ex post assessment of remedies and policy lessons; and national and international approaches. The high-profile and wide-ranging group of authors includes the Director-General of the European Commission’s competition department, lawyers from major international firms, and well-known economists and academics specialising in competition law. With a sharp focus on how to make competition rules work well in today’s digital environment, this systematic and coherent analysis illuminates an issue that we need to fully grasp and understand in order to make sense of competition policy, law and enforcement in the years and decades to come.

EU Competition Law

EU Competition Law PDF

Author: Ariel Ezrachi

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-08-12

Total Pages: 859

ISBN-13: 1509933409

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'This book should be in the library of every competition law practitioner and academic. The summary of cases is first class. But what makes it really stand out is the quality of the commentary and the selection of the material which includes not only the most important European judgements and decisions but also some of the leading cases from the US and European Member States.' Ali Nikpay, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP This unique book is designed as a working tool for the study and practice of European competition law, focused on case law analysis. Each chapter begins with an introduction which outlines the relevant laws, regulations and guidelines for each of the topics, setting the analytical foundations for the case entries. Within this framework, cases are reviewed in summary form, accompanied by useful analysis and commentary. The 7th edition includes recent judgments from the European Court of Justice on the scope of object and effects based analysis (including Generics and Budapest Bank), as well as those on abuse of dominance. It examines developments in parallel trade, online sales restrictions, advertising bans, enforcement powers and procedure. Expanding its coverage of merger decisions, it explores non-collusive oligopoly (including CK Telecoms) and the treatment of innovation and data under the EU Merger Regulation. This unique book offers the practitioner and competition law student an insightful guide to EU competition law cases, an understanding of which is crucial. Rigorous, comprehensive and authoritative, it simply is a must read.

Competition Law and Economics

Competition Law and Economics PDF

Author: Abel Moreira Mateus

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 457

ISBN-13: 1849807035

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Mateus and Moreira present a formidable review of pressing issues in competition law and economics. Top officials, judges and experts from Europe and North America offer their insights into analytical issues, practical problems for companies, enforcers and complainants and on the state of trans-Atlantic divergence and convergence. The discussion on national champions and state aid is prescient. Throughout, the analysis is acute, cutting edge, and deep. Officials, counsel and scholars will draw from this fabulous book for years to come. Philip Marsden, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London, UK Competition policy is at a crossroads on both sides of the Atlantic. In this insightful book, judges, enforcers and academics in law and economics look at the consensus built so far and clarify controversies surrounding the issue. There is broad consensus on the fight against cartels, with some countries criminalizing this type of agreement. However there is also wide debate on the questions of monopolization and abuse of dominant position, vividly highlighted by the recent Microsoft case. Furthermore, there are today diverging views on the interplay of business strategies and the control of market power on both a national and international scale. The book discusses the perennial issue in Europe of the conflicts between competition and industrial policies, once again bringing the theme of national champions to the fore. The contributing authors provide opinion on the efforts which have been made towards modernization in both the USA and the EU. Featuring new contributions by leading scholars and practitioners in antitrust, this book will be a great resource for antitrust enforcers, competition lawyers and practitioners and competition economists, as well as scholars and graduate students in antitrust and competition law.

European Competition Law Annual 2013

European Competition Law Annual 2013 PDF

Author: Philip Lowe

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-04-21

Total Pages: 616

ISBN-13: 1509900489

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This volume contains papers presented at the 18th Annual EU Competition Law and Policy Workshop. The papers examine means of balancing effective (public) competition law enforcement and the requirements of legitimate and accountable exercise of public authority. The authors address the design and performance of various enforcement tools at European and national levels, including sanctions and remedies but also distinctive instruments under Regulation 1/2003 (eg commitment procedures) and under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Article 106(3) when used as a basis for infringement procedures). From the perspective of legitimacy, reflections focus on the implications of fundamental rights standards and general principles of law for the EU's complex and quasi-federal enforcement architecture. Issues that may sometimes escape judicial scrutiny are also discussed, such as how agencies prioritise their activities, and how investigation responsibilities are distributed within the European Competition Network. Effectiveness and legitimacy are then considered in the context of public enforcement cooperation beyond the EU, where international organisations, regional cooperation and a range of formal and informal modes of governance prevail.

Economic Efficiency

Economic Efficiency PDF

Author: Ben Van Rompuy

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2012-08-01

Total Pages: 504

ISBN-13: 9041142150

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Over the past decade, we have witnessed an apparent convergence of views among competition agency officials in the European Union and the United States on the appropriate goals of competition law enforcement. Antitrust policy, it is now suggested, should focus on enhancing economic efficiency, which we are to believe will promote consumer welfare. Recent EU Commission Guidelines on the application of Article 101 TFEU appear to banish considerations that cannot be construed as having an economic efficiency value – such as the environment, cultural policy, employment, public health, and consumer protection – from the application of Article 101 TFEU. Arguing that the professed adoption of an exclusive efficiency approach to Article 101 TFEU does not preclude, but rather obfuscates the role of non-efficiency considerations, the author of this timely contribution accomplishes the following objectives: traces the genesis of the shift to an efficiency orientation in EU and US antitrust policy and dispels several ingrained misconceptions that underpin it; demonstrates the close interrelationship between evolving images of the purpose of antitrust, the development of related enforcement norms, and enforcement output; provides in-depth analyses of a number of analytically rich cases in the audiovisual sector (and particularly those related to sports rights); and explores what the role of non-efficiency considerations in the application of Article 101 TFEU could and should be under the modernized enforcement regime.