To what extent should public services (for example public utilities such as telecommunications, energy, public transport and postal services) be subject to ordinary competition law? This question has assumed great importance in the context of the activities of European Union. On the one hand, it is argued (particularly in France) that competition law is a threat to the values of public services that underlie their distinctive objectives. On the other, the 'Anglo-Saxon' argument is that protecting public services from competition gives them an unfairly protected position and can mask their inefficiencies. This book examines the philosophical, political, economic, and social principles involved. Prosser contrasts the mainly economic and utilitarian justifications for the use of competition law with rights- and citizenship-based arguments for the special treatment of public services, and examines the varied conceptions of the differing traditions in the UK, France, and Italy. Prosser then considers the developing European law in this area. He examines decisions of the European Court of Justice, considers the development of the concept of 'services of general interest' by the Commission, and reviews the liberalization process in telecommunications, energy, and postal services. He also provides a detailed case-study of public service broadcasting. The book concludes by drawing general principles from the debates about the extent to which public services merit distinctive treatment and the extent to which competition law must be amended or limited to respect their distinctive roles.

Based on general concepts of collective action, Private Enforcement of Antitrust analyzes how collective litigation mechanisms can be designed to encourage victims of anti-competitive conduct to access justice.Through the expert assessment of the US Federal Courts' case on competition law, alongside that of domestic Europe, Arianna Andreangeli provides a fresh response to the issues surrounding collective litigation. The discussion is skillfully placed in the wider context of competition enforcement, whilst at the same time exploring both past and present trends. The book concludes that collective litigation of competition claims must strike a 'fair balance' between respecting rules of due process and ensuring fuller access to justice. An enlightening perspective, this book will be an invaluable resource for academics and competition civil justice experts. It will also be of interest to practitioners active in competition cases and policy makers concerned with human rights issues. Contents: 1. Setting the scene: European debates on collective Redress in competition law 2. Rule 23 FRCP: 'aggregating' individual antitrust claimants in diffuse injury cases-the certification criteria of commonality , predominance and superiority and the obligation to serve notice 3. 'Managing' antitrust class actions under Rule 23(b)(3) FRCP: who 'plays the pipe'? And who pays the piper? 4. The EU Commission agenda on collective redress: from a 'sector specific' to a mainstream discussion of group justice questions 5. Collective litigation in competition cases in the United Kingdom: between personal autonomy in civil litigation and effective judicial protection 6. Collective litigation and collective redress in competition claims: continental solutions-the case of Italy and of the Netherlands 7. Access to justice, diffuse torts and competition litigation in the EU: where do we go from here? Index

In recent years, innovation has been threatened by the United States legal system. Much of the blame can be attributed to the antitrust and intellectual property laws. Innovation for the 21st Century seeks to reverse this trend, offering ten revolutionary proposals, from pharmaceuticals to peer-to-peer software, to help foster innovation. Michael A. Carrier illustrates the benefits of improving the patent system and incorporating innovation into copyright and antitrust law. He also dips into a rich business literature to import ideas on "disruptive innovation" and "user innovation." And he replaces the 20th-century view that the IP and antitrust laws are in conflict with a new 21st-century framework that treats them as collaborators.
Innovation for the 21st Century: Harnessing the Power of Intellectual Property and Antitrust Law provides a comprehensive framework for the patent, copyright, and antitrust laws to promote innovation.

Competition Law in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy provides a comprehensive introduction to and overview of this emerging area of law, discussing both the current context and potential directions for future development. The book provides an account of major topics in the law, including the economics of competition law; enterprise; enforcement; regulation; and obligations of member states. It traces the progression of the law from the 2006 Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, charting the main developments such as the establishment of CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC), and examining the emerging case law in this important and fast-growing area. Offering the first major exploration of Caribbean Competition law, this text will be an essential resource for lawyers, businesspersons, and students of the law in the Caribbean.

Competition Law in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy provides a comprehensive introduction to and overview of this emerging area of law, discussing both the current context and potential directions for future development. The book provides an account of major topics in the law, including the economics of competition law; enterprise; enforcement; regulation; and obligations of member states. It traces the progression of the law from the 2006 Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, charting the main developments such as the establishment of CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC), and examining the emerging case law in this important and fast-growing area. Offering the first major exploration of Caribbean Competition law, this text will be an essential resource for lawyers, businesspersons, and students of the law in the Caribbean.

The Research Handbook on International Competition Law brings together leading academics, practitioners and competition officials to discuss the most recent developments in international competition law and policy.This comprehensive Handbook explores the dynamics of international cooperation and national enforcement. It identifies initiatives that led to the current state of collaboration and also highlights current and future challenges. The Handbook features 22 contributions on topical subjects including: competition in developed and developing economies, enforcement trends, advocacy and regional and multinational cooperation. In addition, selected areas of law are explored from a comparative perspective. These include intellectual property and competition law, the pharmaceutical industry, merger control worldwide and the application of competition law to agreements and dominant market position. Presenting an overview of the current state of cooperation and convergence as well as a comparative analysis of substance and procedure, this authoritative Handbook will prove an invaluable reference tool for competition officials, practitioners and academics with an interest in competition law. Contributors include: A. Abbot, S. Anderman, D. Baker, C. Beaton Wells, U. Bernitz, B. Blumenthal, M. Carrier, T. Cheng, L. Copi, P. Evans, A. Ezrachi, A. Fels, H. Hollman, A. Jones, D. Kallay, I. Lianos, I. Maher, P. Marsden, K. McMahon, G. Monti, M. O Kane, J. Padila, A. Papadopoulos, H. Schmidt, D. Sokol, M. Stuck, F. Wagner-von Papp

Cartels, Competition and Public Procurement uses a law and economics approach to analyse whether competition and public procurement laws in Europe and Asia deal effectively with bid rigging conspiracies.Stefan Weishaar explores the ways in which economic theory can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of bid rigging cartels. The study sheds light on one of the vital issues for achieving cost-effective public procurement - which is itself a critical question in the context of the global financial crisis. The book comprehensively examines whether different laws deal effectively with bid rigging and the ways in which economic theory can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of such cartels. The employed industrial economics and auction theory highlights shortcomings of the law in all three jurisdictions - the European Union, China and Japan - and seeks to raise the awareness of policymakers as to when extra precautionary measures against bid rigging conspiracies should be taken. Students and researchers who have a keen interest in the relationship between law and economics, competition law and public procurement law will find this topical book invaluable. Practitioners can see how economic theory can be used to identify situations that lend themselves to bid rigging and policymakers will be informed about the shortcomings of existing legislation from a legal and economics perspective and will be inspired by approaches taken in different jurisdictions. Contents: 1. Introduction Part I: Economic Theory 2. Economic Theory on Optimal Deterrence and Enforcement 3. Industrial Economics 4. Auction Theory and Collusion Part II: Legal Analysis 5. The Effectiveness of the Legal Regime Applicable to Bid Rigging in the European Union 6. Application of Auction Theory in Europe 7. The Effectiveness of the Legal Regime Applicable to Bid Rigging in China 8. Application of Auction Theory in China 9. The Effectiveness of the Legal Regime Applicable to Bid Rigging in Japan 10. The Japanese Construction Sector 11. Limits of Economic Theories and Concluding Remarks Appendix 1. Europe - An Overview of Public Procurement Law Appendix 2. China - An Overview of Public Procurement Law Appendix 3. History of Japanese Antitrust Legislation References Index

This book examines the structure of the rule on restrictive agreements in the context of vertical intra-brand price and territorial restraints, analysing, comparing and evaluating their treatment in US antitrust and EU competition law. It examines the concept of 'agreement' as the threshold question of the rule on restrictive agreements, the structure and focus of antitrust/competition law analysis, the treatment of vertical intra-brand price and territorial restrictions and their place in the test of antitrust/competition law. The treatment of vertical intra-brand restraints is one of the most controversial issues of contemporary competition law and policy, and there are substantial differences between the world's two leading regimes in this regard. In the US, resale price fixing merits an effects-analysis, while in the EU it is prohibited almost outright. Likewise, territorial protection is treated laxly in the US, while in the EU absolute territorial protection - due to the single market imperative - is strictly prohibited. Using a novel approach of legal analysis, this book will be of interest to academics and scholars of business and commercial law, international and comparative law.

This state-of-the-art volume highlights important recent research contributions covering all the significant themes surrounding competition policy and regulation, including financial regulation and multisided markets. Bringing scholars and policy makers to the frontiers of research and addressing the critical issues of the day, the book presents original important new theoretical and empirical results. The distinguished contributors include: P. Agrel, K. Alexander, J. Cremer, X. Dassiou, G. Deltas, F. Etro, L. Filistrucchi, P. Fotis, M. Gilli, J. Harrington Jr, T. Huertas, M. Ivaldi, B. Jullien, V. Marques, M. Peitz, Y. Spiegel, E. Tarrantino and G. Wood. Recent Advances in the Analysis of Competition Policy and Regulation will prove insightful for academic economists, consultants and policy makers interested in these fields. Contributors: P.J. Agrell, K. Alexander, G. Biglaiser, E. Calvano, C. Cambini, J. Cremer, X. Dassiou, G. Deltas, F. Etro, L. Filistrucchi, R. Fiocco, A. Fortunato, P.N. Fotis, A. Gautier, M. Gilli, D. Glycopantis, J.E. Harrington Jr., T.F. Huertas, M. Ivaldi, B. Jullien, Y. Katsoulacos, T.J. Klein, J. Koenen, V. Marques, T.O. Michielsen, S. Mitraille, C. Muller, M. Peitz, L. Rondi, A. Salvo, I. Soares, Y. Spiegel, E. Tarantino, H. Vasconcelos, G. Wood

Many firms operate in complex legal environments where several States may regulate the same activity against a background of international law. International competition law has grown in importance as national economies have become more integrated, at the same time as national competition laws have proliferated and enforcement efforts have been strengthened. This system is beset with conflicts arising where States perceive that the way that another country does or does not apply its competition law adversely affects its interests. This book clarifies the nature and origin of these conflicts, and explores possible ways to reduce them.
Noonan analyses the legal and policy issues associated with the control of restrictive business practices and anticompetitive mergers in international markets. The book discusses international cartels, dumping, private market access barriers, and mergers between international firms subject to multi-agency review. Subjects covered include the harmonization and coordination of competition laws, cooperation between enforcement agencies, international judicial assistance, and the role of trade agreements and the World Trade Organization in international competition law. Noonan also examines the problems that States have in regulating conduct beyond their borders and the merits of a variety of potential responses.
He contends that there is an evolving international competition law system, albeit a somewhat chaotic one. States are only just beginning to see the system as a whole and are struggling to identify where their long-term interests lie. This book describes the elements of the system and their interactions, and explains how the system isevolving; suggesting what States, individually and collectively, could do to modify the system to their mutual advantage.

This book examines the application of UK Criminal and Human Rights Law to people and circumstances outside the United Kingdom. Building upon previous analyses which have focused on a single aspect of extraterritorially, this book examines the fields of Criminal and Human Rights law as the two main areas of non-private law which are frequently applied across borders. Both fields are placed in context before being drawn together in a coherent and systematic way. The book examines recent law and practice, as well as historic developments and explores the concept of enforcement. The author's analysis includes coverage of topics such as the criminalisation of sex-tourism, the extradition of white-collar criminals and the application of human rights law to Iraq following American and British intervention in the region. Law Across Borders goes on to point the way forward in the development of the extraterritorial application of public law, and suggests ways in which greater coherence can be achieved. This book will be of particular interest to practitioners, academics and scholars of International Law, Human Rights Law and Criminal Law. It is unique in its ambition to offer a comprehensive description and analysis of the extra-territorial application of UK Human Rights Law and Criminal Law in a single text.

This well-documented book comprises a stellar cast of European and American authors delivering an overview of cutting edge issues in the areas of trade and competition law, arising in the EU and beyond. Written from an international perspective, hotly debated topics include: challenges in international monetary law; the EU and free trade; treaty interpretation; WTO dispute settlement; the domestic law effect of the WTO in the EU and public and private enforcement of competition law, amongst many others. Set out to become a key work of reference for many legal practitioners, policy makers and academics alike across the globe, Trade and Competition Law in the EU and Beyond uniquely tackles the two very different, yet related, topics of trade and competition law.

The widespread move towards more market-driven models of political economy combined with the expanding internationalisation of business and commerce has led to a series of proposals for global competition rules. To date these proposals have been hotly contested. The purpose of this book is to investigate in some depth whether there is a rational foundation for pursuing international competition rules, and what form these laws should take. The book takes examples from existing competition laws around the world, in particular the US and the EU both of which have a long history of enforcing established competition rules.

Regulation, Markets and Poverty analyses the policy implications of research into issues of competition, regulation and regulatory governance in developing countries. Particular attention is paid to factors affecting poverty and to the connection between regulation, competition and poverty. It represents the culmination of research undertaken in the past five years by the Centre on Regulation and Competition.Written in a non-technical manner with references to the more technical literature, each chapter draws on the work of leading experts across a range of disciplines who frequently challenge conventional wisdom. This accessible and lively study will appeal to policymakers and practitioners dealing with regulation and competition in developing countries, postgraduate students of regulation, competition, public policy and international business. Staff of international development agencies and NGOs working on governance issues, competitiveness, utility policy and infrastructure investment will also find this important book of value and interest.

With the international community on the brink of an explosion of private remedies for violation of national competition laws, this timely Handbook provides state-of the-art analysis of the private enforcement of competition laws across the globe. Private enforcement of antitrust is becoming a significant component of competition policy laws worldwide; today, more than a hundred jurisdictions have adopted market regimes operating within a framework of competition law, providing a varied base for developing ways by which persons injured by anticompetitive conduct will (or will not) be able to obtain remedies. Written primarily from the perspective of the complainant, the Handbook contributes to the discussion by presenting empirical research on private remedies through unprecedented, detailed and systematic analysis of private antitrust enforcement in the US. The expert contributors - law practitioners in the US and 21 other countries - explain both the law and the realities regarding private remedies as they have experienced them. They provide useful information to law and policy makers contemplating the introduction or expansion of private enforcement and to competition advocacy NGOs, attorneys and others who may wish to support or utilize the tools of private enforcement. By way of conclusion, valuable observations are imparted and recommendations prescribed. This important Handbook will prove an invaluable reference tool for a wide-ranging audience including: international private practice lawyers, law academics and students with a special interest in competition policy, international government officials involved in legislation or regulation of private remedies in countries with competition laws, and economists consulting in competition cases.

This comprehensive book contains case studies on the evolution of competition policy, with an emphasis on merger policy, for seven major US industries that have experienced substantial deregulation in the past forty years - electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, railroads, airlines, hospitals and banking. Also included is a comparison of the EU's experience in attempting to bring about competition in the energy, finance, and airline industries. The contributors to the volume, each a recognized expert on the industry examined, explore the positive and negative implications of the substitution of market-oriented processes for historic patterns of command and control regulation. The chapters reveal clear similarities in the economic, legal and public policy issues that have arisen following deregulation of these economic sectors. Together they provide a good basis to discern the consistency of the problems and the relative success of differing responses to these issues over a range of industries going through similar transformation. While taking a basically positive view of the movement away from direct regulation, the contributors identify a number of continuing problems with achieving workable competition in these industries. The thorough analyses presented here will be of great value to law, economics, and political science researchers interested in deregulation, economic consultants advising government agencies or private parties, attorneys who focus on deregulated industries, policy planners at the agencies overseeing these industries, and students in advanced seminars on economic regulation.

The Abolition of Antitrust asserts that antitrust laws--on economic, legal, and moral grounds--are bad, and provides convincing evidence supporting arguments for their total abolition. Every year, new antitrust prosecutions arise in the U.S. courts, as in the cases against 3M and Visa/MasterCard, as well as a number of ongoing antitrust cases, such as those involving Microsoft and college football's use of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). Gary Hull and the contributing authors show that these cases--as well as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act itself--are based on an erroneous interpretation of the history of American business, premised on bad economics. They equivocate between economic and political power--the power to produce versus the power to use physical force. For Hull, anti-trust prosecutions are based on a horrible moral inversion: that it is acceptable to sacrifice America's best producers. The contributors explain how key antitrust ideas, for instance, "monopoly," "restraint of trade," and "anticompetitive behavior," have been used to justify prosecution, and then make clear why those ideas are false. They sketch the historical, legal, economic, and moral reasoning that gave rise to the passage and growth of antitrust legislation. All of the theoretical points in this volume are woven around a number of fascinating cases, both historical and current--including the Charles River Bridge, Alcoa, General Electric, and Kellogg/General Mills. This is a dynamic and accessible work that is not simply a polemical argument for a particular policy position. Designed for the uninformed but educated layman, The Abolition of Antitrust also makes positive arguments in defense of wealth creation, business, and profit, explains the proper role of government, and offers a rational view of the meaning of contract and economic freedom.

This authoritative book provides a comprehensive critical overview of the basic IP paradigms, such as patents, trademarks and copyrights. Their intersection with competition law and their impacts on the exercise of social welfare are analysed from an evolutionary perspective.The analyses and proposals presented encompass the features and rationales of a legal field in constant evolution, and relate them to increasingly rapid technological, economic, social and geo-political developments. Gustavo Ghidini highlights the emerging trends that challenge the traditional a??all-exclusionarya?? vision of IP law and its application. The author expertly combines holistic, evolutionary and constitutionally oriented approaches, with the search for a rebalancing of the IP rights holdersa?? positions with citizensa?? and usersa?? rights.This book will appeal to academics, scholars and lawyers specializing in the realm of intellectual property, competition and comparative law.

The widespread move towards more market-driven models of political economy combined with the expanding internationalisation of business and commerce has led to a series of proposals for global competition rules. To date these proposals have been hotly contested. The purpose of this book is to investigate in some depth whether there is a rational foundation for pursuing international competition rules, and what form these laws should take. The book takes examples from existing competition laws around the world, in particular the US and the EU both of which have a long history of enforcing established competition rules.

Key features:- Edited by leading academics and an experienced practitioner - Combines both practical insight and scholarly analysis - A rich compendium of commentary and analysis on all the main themes of competition law - Extensive coverage of both substantive, procedural and enforcement issues in two volumes. Handbook on European Competition Law: Substantive Aspects sets the context for examination of substantive law by reviewing and analyzing the goals of competition law. It then covers the substantive building blocks of EU competition law, including horizontal and vertical agreements, cartels, mergers, and also provides valuable coverage of the interaction between competition and regulation, hub and spoke collusion, and information exchange agreements. The importance of the abuse of dominance doctrine is reflected in three discrete chapters considering exploitative abuses, exclusionary pricing abuses, and exclusionary non-pricing abuses. The companion volume, Handbook on European Competition Law: Enforcement and Procedure, sets out in detail the procedural aspects of EU Competition Law, ranging from fines, remedies and judicial review. It also gives unique insight into both private and public enforcement of completion law, and offers commentary on the relationship between EU competition law and national competition law, and on the relationship between competition law and private international law. This Handbook will be an indispensable reference work for practitioners and scholars, as well as for those in an enforcement environment. Contributors: S. Anderman, A. Coscelli, G. Edwards, G. Faella, M.S. Gal, A. Jones, I. Kokkoris, I. Lianos, L. Lovdahl Gormsen, D. Mantzari, L.D.S. Morais, R. Nazzini, O. Odudu, N. Petit, A. Stephan, J. Tapia, F. Wagner-von Papp

Key features:- Edited by leading academics and an experienced practitioner - Combines both practical insight and scholarly analysis - A rich compendium of commentary and analysis on all the main themes of competition law - Extensive coverage of both substantive, procedural and enforcement issues in two volumes. Handbook on European Competition Law: Enforcement and Procedure sets out in detail the procedural aspects of EU competition law, ranging from fines, remedies and judicial review. It also gives unique insight into both private and public enforcement of completion law, and offers commentary on the relationship between EU competition law and national competition law, and on the relationship between competition law and private international law. The companion volume, Handbook on European Competition Law: Substantive Aspects, sets the context for examination of substantive law by reviewing and analyzing the goals of competition law. It then covers the substantive building blocks of EU competition law, including horizontal and vertical agreements, cartels, mergers, and also provides valuable coverage of the interaction between competition and regulation, hub and spoke collusion, and information exchange agreements. The importance of the abuse of dominance doctrine is reflected in three discrete chapters considering exploitative abuses, exclusionary pricing abuses, and exclusionary non-pricing abuses. This Handbook will be an indispensable reference work for practitioners and scholars, as well as for those in an enforcement environment. Contributors: A. Andreangeli, K. Cseres, C. Genakos, D. Geradin, D.M.B. Gerard, Y. Katsoulacos, A.P. Komninos, N. Levy, I. Lianos, C. Malamataris, B.J. Rodger, H. Schweitzer, D. Ulph, J. Wileur

This book provides the reader with a comprehensive analysis of US Federal Antitrust and EC Competition Law. It is encyclopaedic in coverage: examining every constituent element of the law and landmark decisions from the perspectives of economics and policy goals, explaining their implications for commercial operations and advocating policy reforms where necessary.

Shedding new light on the foundations of European competition law, this volume is a legal and historical study of the emerging law and its evolution through the 1980s. It retraces the development and critical junctures of competition law not only at the level of the European Economic Community but also at the level of major Member States of the EEC. Intensely researched and rich with insights, the chapters in this volume reflect a close collaboration among an expert group of lawyers and historians and capitalize on previously unavailable source materials. The book examines several key themes including: the influence of national and international competition law on the development of EEC competition law; the drafting of the regulations that lead to the development of modern EU competition law; the role of the European Court of Justice in establishing the protection of competition as a central pillar of the Common Market; the internal dynamics, ideologies and tensions within the Competition Directorate General (DG IV) of the European Commission; and the role of industrial policy in European integration. Combining legal analysis with a meticulous excavation of historical evidence to reveal the forces driving key actors and the interactions among them, this volume rediscovers a past largely forgotten but essential to understanding the genesis of competition law in Europe, its role in Europe's construction, its hybrid institutional traits, and its often unique substance.

This book presents a conceptual framework for analysing the definitions of State aid and subsidy in EC and WTO law. This is done through a comparative analysis, examining the coherence of the conceptual understanding of the crucial, but still elusive, issue of the definition of subsidy. The first, important finding is that the topic is not only technical but raises more fundamental questions about the objectives of subsidy control in a given legal system and, more radically, about the goals of that system itself. The analysis does not only concentrate on the state of the law but critically looks forward offering suggestions for new interpretations and law reform. The book focuses on the substantive provisions of the EC and WTO relating to what are identified by the author as the core properties of a notion of subsidy, ie a form of public action, the grant of an economic advantage and the ensuing impact on the competitive process. The current regulation in EC and WTO law is analysed, compared and assessed in depth, and tested against a baseline represented by of a notion of subsidy inserted in a subsidy regulation pursuing certain objectives. Drawing on the results of the comparative exercise, the book argues that both systems can learn valuable lessons from each other to achieve a greater coherence and a more efficient regulatory system.

This important research review identifies leading articles covering the breadth of comparative competition law. The review addresses the theories behind competition, the issues surrounding the abuse of dominance or monopolization and the vertical restraints of trade, as well as cartels, non-cartels and mergers along with an insight into practice and procedures. Researchers will find the text, and selected articles, to be an invaluable window into scholarly and professional reflection on this diverse subject.