The creation of the European Economic Community and the gradual achievement of a Common Market in connection with this Community raises not only economic but numerous legal problems as weIl. In fact, the Treaty of Rome and the various regulations, directives and de cisions enacted for its implementation are bringing into being a new legal system which has a great influence not only within the frontiers of the Community but also on all European States which are in eco nomic contact with the Community and indeed on the entire world. This applies particularly to the provisions on the laws of competition laid down by the Treaty and its implementing regulations. These provisions must be known and taken into consideration not only by Common Market enterprises but also by large firms outside the Community. The very comprehensive literature on the European Economic Community has therefore laid special stress on this subject. The large number of commentaries published in the various languages of the Community on the Rules of Competition indicates the great interest taken not only by the commercial world but also by the world of jurisprudence.

Integration of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) into the European Union (EU) has become more a question of timing than a question whether it will or should be made. Since one of the objectives of the EU is to establish a system ensuring competition in the internal market is not distorted the question arises if the CEECs can be integrated into such a competitive system. Which rules of competition are appropriate to improve the economic integration of the CEECs and to promote at the same time the enduring transition process? The relationship between competition policy and East-West integration is the general theme of the contributions in this book. One central issue of this volume is the way of integrating the Central and East European countries into the EU and supporting their development by liberalizing trade with the EU. A second issue is the implementation of a market economy in the post-socialist countries of Eastern Europe and in particular the aspect of implementing competition rules at a time when markets are just emerging. The twelve selected papers are organized in three sections: -Competition Policy and Integration (part 1); -Competition Policy During Transition (part 2); -Competition, Trade Policy and East-West-Integration (part 3).

The EEA Agreement extends the European Community internal market to the European Free Trade Area countries. This book gives lawyers and business people an in-depth but non-technical guide to the new EEA rules governing the free movement of goods, including product coverage and rules of origin, technical barriers to trade, intellectual property, product liability, public procurement, competition, and state aids.

This new Sixth Edition of a major work by the well-known competition law team at Van Bael & Bellis in Brussels brings the book up to date to take account of the many developments in the case law and relevant legislation that have occurred since the Fifth Edition in 2010. The authors have also taken the opportunity to write a much-extended chapter on private enforcement and a dedicated section on competition law in the pharmaceutical sector. As one would expect, the new edition continues to meet the challenge for businesses and their counsel, providing a thoroughly practical guide to the application of the EU competition rules. The critical commentary cuts through the theoretical underpinnings of EU competition law to expose its actual impact on business. In this comprehensive new edition, the authors examine such notable developments as the following: important rulings concerning the concept of a restriction by object under Article 101; the extensive case law in the field of cartels, including in relation to cartel facilitation and price signalling; important Article 102 rulings concerning pricing and exclusivity, including the Post Danmark and Intel judgments, as well as standard essential patents; the current block exemption and guidelines applicable to vertical agreements, including those applicable to the motor vehicle sector; developments concerning online distribution, including the Pierre Fabre and Coty rulings; the current guidelines and block exemptions in the field of horizontal cooperation, including the treatment of information exchange; the evolution of EU merger control, including court defeats suffered by the Commission and the case law on procedural infringements; the burgeoning case law related to pharmaceuticals, including concerning reverse payment settlements; the current technology transfer guidelines and block exemption; procedural developments, including in relation to the right to privacy, access to file, parental liability, fining methodology, inability to pay and hybrid settlements; the implementation of the Damages Directive and the first interpretative rulings. As a comprehensive, up-to-date and above all practical analysis of the EU competition rules as developed by the Commission and EU Courts, this authoritative new edition of a classic work stands alone. Like its predecessors, it will be of immeasurable value to both business persons and their legal advisers.