Economic Evidence in EU Competition Law

The use of economic theory and economic evidence in competition cases, their appropriate interpretation, meaning, impact, usefulness and validity are among the most challenging issues that judges and legal practitioners are facing in their daily decision-making. Notorious questions of, for example, how courts, practitioners and other decision-making bodies should employ economic evidence and what weight (and credibility) should be attached to such evidence where different experts offer different suggestions are among the most complex ones. This book, while addressing such questions, provides tools for judges, scholars and legal practitioners to employ economic evidence in a more effective, optimal and predictable way so as to overcome the identified, EU-wide obstacles in enforcing current EU competition law.

This edited volume addresses the importance, implications, practices, problems and the role of economic evidence in EU competition law. It includes contributions on the use of the economic approach in the application and enforcement of EU competition law in different EU countries, candidate member states and third countries.

The book features scholars who are experts in the field of competition law and economics as well as several of the most prominent European judges who provide first-hand information on the use of economic evidence in practice. The book is not limited to a particular subfield of competition law, but covers the area of competition law at large, including state aid. This reflects the fact that also the European Commission has gradually expanded the application of the economic approach to all areas of competition law.

‘What role does economics play in cases of competition law? What role could it play? And what role should it play? But do scholarly experts and judges agree on these viewpoints? In this book an impressive variety of topics is covered and surprising insights are gained. Thus it really covers recent and partly controversial developments in the EU regarding the handling of competition law cases on a national as well as an EU level – something experts in the field must not miss.’
Wolfgang Weigel, Chair, The Joseph von Sonnenfels Center for the Study of Public Law and Economics and Department of Economics, University of Vienna

‘Economics is the study of scarcity. Law is the study of rights. Unfortunately, law and economics scholarship that is practical and focused on problems from the courtroom is scarce. This volume makes it right. It combines the legal experience of experts and judges in several European countries and the rigor of economics. The result is an indispensable tool for anyone interested in EU competition law.’
Shai Dothan, Associate Professor of International and Public Law, iCourts—the Centre of Excellence for International Courts, Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen.

‘The rapid growth and increasing importance of EU Competition Law have thrown up, in a context of decentralised interpretation and enforcement, questions of the extent to which economic theory and evidence should be employed by national authorities. This rich collection of essays provides diverse but also fascinating answers to those questions, ranging from the practical and pragmatic to the speculative and theoretical. It is all the more valuable because the authors are drawn from the judiciary as well as the academic world. Clearly the book is essential reading for all concerned with EU Competition Law.’
Anthony Ogus, Emeritus Professor of Law, Universities of Manchester and Rotterdam