After a long preparatory process, a Directive harmonizing certain national rules on private enforcement of competition law has been adopted by the European Parliament. In this contribution it is investigated whether harmonization of these rules was desirable and whether the main objectives of...

This chapter discusses the rationale for State aid control as part of competition law. Like in other areas of EU competition law, such as abuse of dominance and merger control, there is a clear shift towards a ‘more economic approach' and a stronger focus on efficiency. However, this stronger...

The regulation of professional services has been high on the political agenda for years now in Europe. This paper points out the methods of working and the strategies used by the European Commission (Directorate General for Competition) and various national competition authorities to promote...

"With the Chinese government planning a comprehensive and detailed reform of regulatory law, the European experience is likely to contribute significantly. This timely book analyses comparative Chinese and EU regulatory reform from a law and economics perspective."--

This Fourth SoLaR Working Paper looks at the reception of EU competition and State aid soft law in selected Member States. The paper draws on interdisciplinary methodologies and combines case law research and interviews to show how national authorities and judges deal with EU soft law. The...