Competition Law

 

Course objectives

Competition law constitutes the building block of market regulation and the establishment of the EU internal market. The course aims at offering students a comprehensive understanding of the legal rules, regulatory mechanisms and enforcement methods in the various fields of market regulation. Students will familiarise themselves with both the general as well as the specific legal frameworks of the different regulatory policies.

Course Meta

Category (core/elective)	Core
Semester	–
Duration (semesters)	1

 

Course Description

All businesses in all market areas are directly affected by EU competition law, in Europe and abroad. Monitoring compliance with competition laws and market regulations is of vital importance for both the economies of the Member States and the EU.
The course covers the EU legislative framework relating to competition within the internal market, and places particular emphasis on mechanisms for controlling monopolies and oligopolies, for identifying cartels and cartel formations, for overseeing mergers, for sanctioning anti-competitive agreements and practices.
In this respect, all relevant substantive and procedural aspects of Articles 101-102 and 106 TFEU are analyzed. Concentration control and the sanctioning of abuses of dominance inform the analysis. State and public undertakings are reviewed in the frame of the liberalization process as regulated by Article 106 TFEU.
As economic notions and principles inform much of the analysis and are necessary for the comprehensive understanding of the principles and mechanisms of EU Competition Law, the course is designed with a view to incorporating an interdisciplinary approach.

 

Course Outline

The course content is outlined in the following chapters

1.      Competition policy and fundamentals of EU competition law. Actors, principles and mechanisms
2.      Economics of competition law. Economic theories of competition, notions and principles
3.      Collusion between undertakings (Article 101TFEU) – Horizontal and vertical restrains
4.      The Rule of Reason. Block Exemptions
5.      Dominant position
6.      Article 102TFEU – Abuse of dominant position
7.      Exemption system and self-assessment of agreements
8.      Anti-trust policies and procedures
9.      Mergers and acquisitions
10.    Enforcement of EU Competition Law at EU level
11.    Enforcement of EU Competition Law at National Level
12.    Public Undertakings and the application of 106 TFEU
13.    Simulated competition review proceedings

 

Educational Outcomes

This course allows students to improve, extend and update their knowledge and understanding of EU competition law. Students will be capable of analysing cases and their practical implications in daily life and the effects on the functioning of the market economy. Having been presented with a comprehensive and, when needed, even interdisciplinary analysis of competition rules, principles and procedural mechanisms, students will be fully qualified not only to litigate, but also to act as analysts and consultants on competition matters.

 

Basic Textbook(s)

• R.Whish & D. Bailey, Competition Law (OUP, 7th end, 2012)
• A. Jones & B. Sufrin, EU Competition Law. Text, Cases & Materials (OUP, 4th end, 2010, 5th edn 2014).
• I. Lianos & D. Geradin, Handbook on European Competition Law (E. Elgar Publ. 2013).

 

Basic Bibliography

A.Macnab (ed), Materials on European Union Law of Competition (OUP, 2013). A. Ezrahi, EU Competition Law. An Analytical Giude to the Leading Cases (Hart, 3rd edn, 2012). S. Bishop & M. Walker, The Economics of EC Competition Law: Concepts, Application and Measurement (Sweet & Maxwell, 2010) G. Amato & C-D. Ehlermann (eds), EC Competition Law. A Critical Assessment (Hart, 2007) E.Elhauge & D. Geradin (eds), Global Competition Law and Economics (Hart, 2011). K. K.Patel & H. Schweitzer, The Historical Foundations of EU Competition Law (OUP, 2013) G.Monti, EC Competition Law (CUP, 2007). EC DG Competition, EC Competition Law. Provisions on International Relations in EC Competition Policy (Office for Official Publ., European Commission, 2009).

M. Danov, F. Becker & Beaumont (eds), Cross-Border EU Competition Law Actions (Hart, 2013). F. Henning-Bodewig (eds) International Handbook on Unfair Competition (Hart, 2013). G. Amato, Anti-trust and the Bounds of Power (Hart, 1997). S. Brammer, Co-operation between National Competition Agencies in the Enforcement of EC Competition Law (Hart, 2009). I. Simonsson, Legitimacy in EU Cartel Control (Hart, 2010). A. Schrauwen (ed), The Rule of Reason. Rethinking Another Classic of European Law (Europa Law Publ., 2005). L. Lovdahl Gormsen, A Principled Approach to Abuse in Dominance in European Competition Law (CUP, 2010). G. Cumming, Merger Decision and the Rules of Procedure of the European Community Courts (Kluwer, 2011).

 

Teaching Methodology

Lectures: 13 lectures x 2 hours = 26 hours
Tutorials: 7 tutorials x 2 hours   = 14 hours
Total:                                          = 40 hours

 

Evaluation

Final Exam                                 = %
Course Participation                   = %
Paper(s)                                     = %
Total                                         = %

Language

English

Traineeship

No

Location

Legraina campus, Cape Sounion (lectures); Achaiou str. premises, Athens (tutorials).

General note

While the ‘Course Objectives’ and ‘Educational Outcomes’ above remain immutable, the ‘Course Content’ and ‘Course Outline’ may be altered in order to accommodate students’ needs and individual professors’ approaches. Bibliography and reading materials may vary accordingly.