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Abuse of dominance in the focus

Abuse of dominance in the focus. Abuse of dominance laws and policies have been in the focus of discussions worldwide in the last years Reflections by U.S. authorities , the European Commission and others

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Abuse of dominance in the focus

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  1. Abuseofdominance in thefocus • Abuseofdominancelawsandpolicieshavebeen in thefocusofdiscussionsworldwide in the last years • Reflectionsby U.S. authorities, the European Commissionandothers • Importantworkdonebythe Unilateral Conduct Working Group ofthe ICN, co-chairedby U.S. FTC and Bundeskartellamt • Recommended Practices on DominanceAssessment • Reports on policyandpracticewithrespecttospecifictypesofconduct Dr Bernhard Heitzer

  2. Abuseofmarket power in the EC • European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensuresconsistentapplicationofArticle 82 EC • Regulation 1/2003 hasledtogreatconvergencewithrespecttosubstantivelawsthroughout Europe • Harmonisationfindsitslimitswhereparticularities in national and sub-national marketscallforstricterrules • There must remainroomforflexibilityfor Member States tohaveandapply such rules Dr Bernhard Heitzer

  3. Priority Setting in the Area ofArticle 82 • HelpfulthattheCommissionhaselaboratedprioritieswithrespecttoexclusionaryconductandmadethempublicwithits „Priorities Paper“ in December 2008 • Sinceprioritiesmaydifferfromcountrytocountry, itisofgreatestimportancethat national competitionauthoritiesengage in theirownprioritiessetting Dr Bernhard Heitzer

  4. Energy – Top Priority in Germany • The Bundeskartellamt hascontributedsignificantlytoopeninguptheenergysectortocompetition • Long term gas supplycase (2006): Market leader E.ON Ruhrgas toterminateexistinglong-termcontractswhichforclosedthemarkets • Excessive gas prices (2008): Gas suppliersofferedcommitmentsamountingto 240 million Euros Dr Bernhard Heitzer

  5. The Commission‘sPriorities Paper • Preliminaryanalysisisimportantforprioritysetting • ECJ does not requireconsumerharm. Competitionauthoritiesneedtocarefullyweighprosandconsofanalysingconsumerharm. Keep in mindthat quantitative analysisisbased on assumptionsandmayonlysuggestaccuracy • Analysis must remainmanageable – we must not riskthatthe last competitiveconstraint dies awayas a resultoftheconductbeforewehavefinishedtheanalysis Dr Bernhard Heitzer

  6. Case allocation in the EC • The ECN is a greatsuccessandcaseallocationworks well in principle • NCAs andthe European Commission must workcloselytogetherandmakesurethatcaseswhicharerooted in domesticratherthanComminity-widemarketsare dealt withbythe NCAs asintendedbythedraftersofthe Regulation Dr Bernhard Heitzer

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