Competition Law

Competition Law
Author: Eugène Buttigieg
Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.
Total Pages: 446
Release: 2009-05-19
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9041144781

Although it is commonly assumed that consumers benefit from the application of competition law, this is not necessarily always the case. Economic efficiency is paramount; thus, competition law in Europe and antitrust law in the United States are designed primarily to protect business competitors (and in Europe to promote market integration), and it is only incidentally that such law may also serve to protect consumers. That is the essential starting point of this penetrating critique. The author explores the extent to which US antitrust law and EC competition law adequately safeguard consumer interests. Specifically, he shows how the two jurisdictions have gone about evaluating collusive practices, abusive conduct by dominant firms and merger activity, and how the policies thus formed have impacted upon the promotion of consumer interests. He argues that unless consumer interests are directly and specifically addressed in the assessment process, maximization of consumer welfare is not sufficiently achieved. Using rigorous analysis he develops legal arguments that can accomplish such goals as the following: replace the economic theory of ‘consumer welfare’ with a principle of consumer well-being; build consumer benefits into specific areas of competition policy; assess competition cases so that income distribution effects are more beneficial to consumers; and control mergers in such a way that efficiencies are passed directly to consumers. The author argues that, in the last analysis, the promotion of consumer well-being should be the sole or at least the primary goal of any antitrust regime. Lawyers and scholars interested in the application and development and reform of competition law and policy will welcome this book. They will find not only a fresh approach to interpretation and practice in their field – comparing and contrasting two major systems of competition law – but also an extremely lucid analysis of the various economic arguments used to highlight the consumer welfare enhancing or welfare reducing effects of business practices.

Intellectual Property and the Limits of Antitrust

Intellectual Property and the Limits of Antitrust
Author: Katarzyna Czapracka
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 165
Release: 2010-01-01
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1849803269

An excellent account of practice on both sides of the Atlantic regarding the intersection of antitrust and intellectual property rights. The author provides a detailed account of the legal discussion in an economics-informed manner. A must read, as far as I am concerned, for practitioners and academicians alike. Petros C. Mavroidis, Columbia Law School, New York, US, University of Neuch'tel, Switzerland and CEPR, UK This book examines the growing divergences between the EU and the US in their approach to antitrust law enforcement, particularly where it relates to intellectual property (IP) rights. The scope of US antitrust law as defined in the Supreme Court s decisions in Trinko and Credit Suisse Securities is much narrower than the scope of EU competition law. US antitrust enforcers have become increasingly reluctant to apply antitrust rules to regulated markets, whereas the European Commission has consistently used EU competition rules to correct the externalities resulting from government action. The contrasting approaches adopted by US and EU antitrust enforcers to these issues, as with the differences in addressing market dominance, have had a profound impact on the scope of antitrust intervention in the IP field. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the relevant recent developments on both sides of the Atlantic and identifies the pitfalls of regulating IP through competition rules. With a unique comparative perspective, this book will be an invaluable resource for postgraduate students, academics and practitioners in IP and competition law.

Comparative Competition Law and Economics

Comparative Competition Law and Economics
Author: Roger J. Van den Bergh
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 536
Release: 2017-09-29
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1786438313

Offering a concise and critical comparison of EU competition law and US antitrust law from an economic perspective, this is the ideal textbook for international and interdisciplinary courses combining law and economic approaches.

Competition Law, Innovation and Antitrust

Competition Law, Innovation and Antitrust
Author: Hedvig Schmidt
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 301
Release: 2009-01-01
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1849802351

. . . a must-read for anyone wanting to study tying in more detail. . . the book offers a very thorough analysis of tying, together with some recommended improvements to the way in which tying is currently assessed under the EU and the US antitrust rules. Common Market Law Review Schmidt s Competition Law, Innovation and Antitrust is a superb introduction to the subject of tying arrangements and other bundled sales in high technology markets, principally as they are treated under US antitrust law and EU competition law. Schmidt thoroughly assesses the economics of such arrangements, the benefits they confer and the potential harms they impose, and then gives a positive introduction to the law. This is a comprehensive treatment of its subject and an indispensible aid to the competition law scholar or practitioner. Herbert Hovenkamp, University of Iowa, College of Law, US This innovative book assesses the hotly debated topic of tying from three different perspectives: competition law, economics and intellectual property rights. It highlights the faults and benefits of the current approaches to tying under EC competition law and US antitrust law. In the light of modern economic thinking, the recent review of Article 82 EC, and Sherman Act, Section 2, the author identifies a more economic approach to tying that moves away from the per se illegality label that has so far impinged on tying case law. Hedvig Schmidt recognizes the significance that tying can play on innovation and product development, and thus suggests a new approach which carves out a safe haven for technological integrated products to ensure continuous stimulation of innovation. With comparative assessments and investigations, this book is a must-read for academics specializing in competition law and theory, as well as practitioners and policy-makers of competition law and intellectual property.

Innovation Markets and Competition Analysis

Innovation Markets and Competition Analysis
Author: Marcus Glader
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2006-01-01
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1847201687

The book is warmly recommended to practitioners and academics from both the legal and the economic field. Guido Westkamp, Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice . . . Glader offers strong commentary and case explanation, coupled with insightful analysis, in this complex area. . . This book is strong on both the relevant law, and the economics arena in which the law must be applied, and deals equally well with the US and EC principles and practice. Mark Furse, European Competition Law Review The pace and scope of technological change is increasing, but some innovative technologies take years before they give rise to saleable products. Before they do, there is competition in ideas and research, but the ideas cannot be market tested, because there are no products or services to offer to consumers. Competition law, in Europe and the USA, cannot be applied to competition in research for innovation as if it was competition between products. Completely different problems arise and a completely different approach is needed. This book, the first on innovation markets, shows how this new approach has been used by competition authorities on both sides of the Atlantic in a wide variety of cases. It analyses in depth and detail the comparative law and economics of the problems arising from the different stages of these markets . It considers how far conclusions can be drawn about the future and comes to interesting, practical and sensible conclusions. And it avoids both unjustified scepticism and exaggerated enthusiasm about the theories of innovation markets. John Temple Lang, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Brussels and London; Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and Oxford University, UK This book examines the legal standards and their underlying economic rationale for the protection of competition in the innovation process, in both European competition law and American antitrust law. Apart from relevant regulatory frameworks, the author also reviews a range of case laws, which assess whether a transaction or unilateral conduct would limit market participants incentives and abilities for continued innovation and future competition. At the centre of this study is the innovation market concept. This concept entails the delineation, for purposes of antitrust analysis, of an upstream market for competing R&D. Questions of market definition, the assessment of innovation competition in defined markets, the role of efficiencies in the appraisal of transactions and possible remedies to alleviate anti-competitive effects are also explored. Updating the field of research in light of new developments and broadening and deepening the categorization and analysis of the innovation market area, this book will be of great interest to academics, practitioners and consultants, and also public policymakers.

European Competition Law and Economics

European Competition Law and Economics
Author: Roger van den Bergh
Publisher: Intersentia nv
Total Pages: 617
Release: 2001
Genre: Antitrust law
ISBN: 9050951619

The aim of this book is to explore the economic fundamentals of European competition law.

Vertical Agreements and Competition Law

Vertical Agreements and Competition Law
Author: Sandra Marco Colino
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2010-01-02
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1847315615

This book focuses on the current legal framework for vertical agreements in the EU and the US. Over the last ten years, antitrust rules governing these agreements have undergone thorough reform. In the EU, the old sector-specific block exemptions were replaced by Regulation 2790/99, applicable to all sectors of the economy. In addition, changes introduced to the procedural rules have led to the decentralisation of Article 81(3) and the removal of the notification requirement. In like manner, in the US the Supreme Court has gradually taken vertical restraints out of the per se illegality rule. What Sylvania achieved in placing non-price vertical restraints under the rule of reason in the late 1970s, the Khan judgment did for maximum resale price maintenance in 1997, whilst most recently and most significantly in 2007 the Leegin case followed suit for minimum resale price maintenance. The book is divided into four chapters. The first chapter considers the 'double nature' of vertical agreements and the regulatory dilemma. The second chapter explores the most influential economic theories underpinning current regulatory frameworks, and how these theories shape antitrust policy. The third chapter questions the adequacy of the current economic analysis in recent EU and US legislation and court decisions. The fourth chapter analyses how this maturing economic analysis can be reconciled with what commentators and regulators have identified as a key role for competition policy, redressing assumed imbalances between dealers and manufacturers. The author concludes by querying the prevailing logic of protecting sectoral interests above the competitive process.

Comparative Competition Law

Comparative Competition Law
Author: John Duns
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 529
Release: 2015-11-27
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1785362577

Comparative Competition Law examines the key global issues facing competition law and policy. This volume’s specially commissioned chapters by leading writers from the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia provide a synthesis of how these current issues are addressed by drawing on the approaches taken in different jurisdictions around the world. Expert contributors examine the regulation of core competitive conduct by comparing substantive law approaches in the US and the EU. The book then explores issues of enforcement – such as the regulator’s powers, whether to criminalize anti-competitive conduct, the degree to which private enforcement ought to be encouraged, and the extraterritorial scope of domestic laws. Finally, the book discusses how competition law is being implemented in a variety of countries, including Japan, China, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. This scholarly analysis of the key substantive, procedural, and remedial challenges facing global competition law policymakers offers a comparative framework to facilitate a better understanding of relevant policies. This collection of global perspectives will be of great interest to scholars and students of competition law, microeconomics, and regulatory studies. Competition law regulators, policy makers, and law practitioners will also find this book an invaluable resource.