The OECD Growth Study and other empirical work have shown that the strength of competition in product markets plays an important role in the economic growth process as well as contributing to a more efficient allocation of resources in a static sense. More intense competition is likely to...

While Ireland’s economic performance has been impressive, there are too many sectors where producers are shielded from competition, at the expense of consumers. The loss in efficiency from these policies will become more noticeable as Ireland’s growth rate settles down towards more normal...

Competition policy played a central role in the development of the EU and its institutions. The European Commission, supported by the European courts, developed the framework for competition policy in Europe. This framework has been built since the Treaty of Rome in 1957 on a foundation of...

Poland’s 1990 competition law, which supported its transition restructuring, now substantively follows the rules of the EU treaty. But enforcement still focuses on abuses by successors to pre-reform monopolies. Competition enforcement agency by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection...

One of the elements of South Africa’s peaceful revolution over the last decade was reform of its competition policy institutions. The previous system had supported the previous economic system, characterised by autarky, protection, government direction, and high concentration. The new system...

Germany's post-war competition law has been notably successful, and the enforcement body, the Bundeskartellamt, is widely respected. German institutions are now challenged to adapt to the modernised EU enforcement approach. Germany's institutional structure has supported competition well within...

The Czech Republic competition law is based on familiar European substantive concepts. Features that were appropriate for a transition setting are being revised in anticipation of EU accession. The enforcement body was at one time a separate Ministry; now, the Czech Office for the Protection of...

The unusually complex competition policy institutions of the UK include a Commission that is concerned about the “public interest” in monopolies and market practices, the Director General of Fair Trading who enforces a competition law that is now modelled on European law, and many regulators...

Important issues in competition policy in Canada today are the independence and powers of the institutions and the balance between competition policy principles and national interests. The foundations of policy are being tested in merger litigation over the meaning of efficiency. Enforcement...

Competition law in France applies EU norms about restrictive agreements and abuses. The two institutions that apply the law must deal with its conflicting purposes concerning unfair competition, and with subtleties of policy choice and jurisdiction concerning the reform of infrastructure...