Abuse of dominance

The approach on both sides of the Atlantic

Wednesday 26th August, 9:00-12:00

Commission : Antitrust
General Reporter:    Grégoire Ryelandt
External Speaker: Jorge Padilla, managing director of LECG, Brussels, Belgium
The similarities between the American and the European legislative frameworks with respect to the prohibition of certain unilateral practices of undertakings with a dominant position have led to the development of two comparable and complementary legal systems. Nevertheless, the legislative works and the decision practice of the American and European authorities show that there are also considerable differences between the treatment of substantial market power on the opposite shores of the Atlantic. This Working Session aims at analysing the differences and similarities between the two systems in respect of, inter alia, predatory pricing, refusals to deal, collective dominance and attempt to monopolize. Special attention will be paid to the guidance paper published by the European Commission on its enforcement priorities in applying competition rules to abusive exclusionary conduct by dominant undertakings.