International Encyclopaedia of Laws

INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPAEDIA FOR COMPETITION LAW

Edited by Prof. Francesco Denozza; Prof. Alberto Toffoletto

Introduction - Editors - Outlines - Links of interest - News - Events

OUTLINES

General Introduction

       §1. General Background of the Country

       §2. Economic System

       §3. Legal System

       §4. Historical Background of Antitrust Law

Selected Bibliography

Part I. Structure of antitrust law and its enforcement

CHAPTER 1. SOURCES OF ANTITRUST LAW

      §1. National Sources

      §2. International Sources

      §3. Secondary Sources

      §4. Sources' Relation and Hierarchy

      §5. Role and authority of precedents

CHAPTER 2. SCOPE OF APPLICATION

      §1. Territorial reach

      §2. Special Sectors

      §3. State owned Enterprises and Public Utilities

      §4. Sensible Effect and De Minimis

CHAPTER 3. OVERVIEW OF SUBSTANTIVE PROVISIONS

      §1. Restrictive Agreements

      §2. Dominant Undertakings

      §3. Concentrations

      §4. Other prohibitions

      §5. Tests of illegality

CHAPTER 4. OVERVIEW OF MAIN NOTIONS

      §1. Undertaking

      §2. Relevant Market

      §3. Market Power/Dominant Position

      §4. Agreements and concerted practices

      §5. Restriction of competition

      §6. Monopolisation and abuse of dominance

      §7. Concentrations

      §8. Joint Ventures

CHAPTER 5. CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT INSTITUTIONS

       §1. Administrative Enforcement

              I. Antitrust Authorities

                     A. Formation, composition

                     B. Investigating powers

                     C. Adjudicating powers (ascertaining and sanctioning)

                     D. Other institutional tasks (Consultancy to Parliament/Government)

              II. Government direct enforcement activities

              III. Other Administrative Agencies applying antitrust rules

              IV. Administrative fines

              V. Administrative injunctions and other restrictive orders

              VI. Interim measures

      §2. Civil Enforcement

              I. Competent Civil Courts

              II. Sanctions

                    A. Nullity

                    B. Damages

                    C. Interim measures

      §3. Criminal Enforcement

              I. Criminal sanctions for antitrust violations

              II. Other application of Criminal Law to relevant conducts

              III. Role of Prosecutors

              IV. Competent Criminal Courts

Part II. Application of the Prohibitions

CHAPTER 1. RESTRICTIVE AGREEMENTS

      §1. Horizontal agreements

              I. Cartels

                    A. Price fixing

                    B. Market/client allocation

                    C. Production/innovation limitation

                    D. Group boycott

                    E. Collusion on other objects

              II. Information exchange practices

              III. Cooperation agreements

                    A. Research and development

                    B. Specialisation

                    C. Standardisation

                    D. Joint production

                    E. Joint purchasing

                    F. Joint selling

      §2. Vertical agreements

              I. Distribution

                    A. Exclusive distributorship

                    B. Exclusive dealing

                    C. Selective distribution

                    D. Franchising

              II. Technology licencing

                    A. Patent licencing

                    B. Trademark licencing

                    C. Know how and trade secret licencing

CHAPTER 2. DOMINANT UNDERTAKINGS' PROHIBITED PRACTICES

      §1. Exploitative practices

              I. Excessive/unfair pricing

              II. Discrimination

      §2. Exclusionary practices

              I. Predation

              II. Tying

              III. Rebates

              IV. Refusal to deal

              V. Price squeeze

CHAPTER 3. CONCENTRATIONS

      §1. Horizontal mergers

      §2. Vertical mergers

      §3. Market/product extension mergers

      §4. Pure Conglomerate mergers

      §5. Joint ventures

Part III. Administrative procedure

CHAPTER 1. ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS BEFORE THE ANTITRUST AUTHORITY

      §1. Initiative

              I. General sectors inquiries

              II. Ex Officio investigations

              III. Complaints

      §2. Powers

              I. Requests for information

              II. Investigating and search powers

              III. Cooperation with other State Institutions

      §3. Right of defence

              I. Content and notification of opening decisions

              II. Proceedings: hearings, access to file, briefs

              III. Statement of Objections

              IV. Final Hearing and Decision

CHAPTER 2. VOLUNTARY NOTIFICATIONS AND CLEARANCE DECISIONS

MERGER CONTROL

      §1. Preliminary filing obligations

              I. Criteria and thresholds

              II. Turnover calculation

              III. Market share calculation

              IV. Other relevant notions

      §2. Structure of proceedings

              I. Preliminary assessment and full investigation

              II. Time framework

              III. Right of defence

      §3. Clearance and conditional clearance

              I. Conditions and undertakings

                    A. Content

                    B. Timing

      §4. Relations with other merger control authorities

              I. Other authorities within the local Jurisdiction

              II. International coordination

CHAPTER 3. CHALLENGING OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION

      §1. Competent Courts

      §2. Time limits

      §3. Scope of Judicial Review

Index