The context for this book is the increasingly complex relationship between economic theory and competition law which gives rise to lively political and academic debate on the direction competition law should take in a more global and innovation-oriented market place. The authors adopt a comparative, research-orientated approach, taking into account different situations in the US, Europe, Japan and transition and developing countries. They investigate the impact of economics on the objectives of competition law in various fields - restrictive agreements, unilateral restraints and merger control - and on the effectiveness of enforcement in a given legal and judicial system. Economic Theory and Competition Law is an insightful resource for law and economics scholars. Legal practitioners in the field of competition law will also value this book.

The decentralization of competition law enforcement and the stimulation of private damages actions in the European Union go hand in hand with the increasingly international character of antitrust proceedings. As a consequence, there is an ever-growing need for clear and workable rules to coordinate cross-border actions, whether they are of a judicial or administrative nature: rules on jurisdiction, applicable law and recognition, as well as rules on sharing of evidence, the protection of business secrets, and the interplay between administrative and judicial procedures. This book offers in-depth analysis of these long neglected, yet important, topics. It is the fruit of a research project funded by the European Commission, which brought together experts in academia, practice, and policy-making from across Europe and the United States. The 16 chapters cover the relevant provisions of the Brussels I and Rome I and Rome II Regulations, the co-operation mechanisms provided for by Regulation 1/2003, and selected issues of US procedural law (such as discovery) that are highly relevant for transatlantic damages actions. Each contribution critically analyzes the existing legislative framework and formulates specific proposals that would consolidate and enhance cross-border antitrust litigation in Europe and beyond. (Series: Studies in Private International Law - Vol. 8)