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B UNDES W ETTBEWERBS B EHÖRDE. European Competition Day – October 2 nd 2012 Panel III on Enforcement of Competition Rules in Member States: Opportunities and Challenges for National Competition Authorities - Cooperation and ECN Coordination .
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BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE European Competition Day – October 2nd 2012 Panel III on Enforcement of Competition Rules in Member States: OpportunitiesandChallengesfor National CompetitionAuthorities - CooperationandECNCoordination. National courtsasimportantplayers in theenforcementcontext Dr. Theodor Thanner, Austrian Federal Competition Authority
Overview: BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE Questions to be discussed: • What role, if any, do courts play in the enforcement context • Due process in competition law proceedings before courts • Need for clarity and "better" reasoning in court decisions • Ways to improve the legal and economic understanding
Quotation BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE But you, Perses, layupthesethingswithinyourheartand listen now to right, ceasingaltogether to think of violence. Fortheson of Cronos hasordainedthislawformen, thatfishesandbeastsandwingedfowlsshoulddevouroneanother, forrightis not in them; Hesiod, worksanddays, 274ff
What role, if any, do courts play in the enforcement context? BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE • Courts play a role (depending on thesetupofthe national enforcementsystem) • Part of legal procedure • Different rolesofcourts in thecompetitionlawlandscape
Due process I BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE • Institutional Setting • Monist Administrative Model • Dualist Administrative Model • Judicial Model
Due process II BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE • Access to file • Statement of Objections • Oral Hearing • Complainants • Third parties • Checks & Balances
Need forclarityand"better"reasoning in courtdecisions BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE • Content of decisions hard to grasp • Time aspect of competition law proceedings • Missing link to public interest considerations • Lack of legal advocacy
Ways to improve the legal and economic understanding of judges BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE • Necessity of broad understanding of competition policy • Double-edged role of expert witnesses in competition law proceedings • Duty to explain the meaning of court decisions and their potential repercussions on our daily life • Joint trainings and seminars with competition authorities
Thank you very much for your attention! BUNDESWETTBEWERBSBEHÖRDE www.bwb.gv.at on twitter.com Director General for Competition Dr. Theodor Thanner