Papadopoulos, Anestis S
(2008)
The role of the competition law and policy of the EU in the formation of international agreements on competition.
PhD thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Abstract
Competition law is a tool first employed by countries more than a hundred years ago, to address issues relating to restrictions on competition conducted by private firms. Competition law is still predominantly an instrument to resolve national problems while the dominance of market based economies in the last fifty years, particularly following the collapse of the eastern block, in combination with improvements in transport, communications and technology have progressively dismantled national borders and internationalised trade. Trade liberalisation has in turn led to practices by firms that have an effect on the territories of more than one country. Attempts to address this paradox - national rules to address international issues - have appeared on several occasions in the last 80 years at the international, regional and lately bilateral level. The research question that the thesis addresses is: What is the role of the competition law and policy of the EU in the formation of international competition rules (norms). This question encompasses two main concepts: international agreements with competition elements, and the role of EU competition law and policy. As to the former, four main forms of agreements are discussed in separate chapters of the thesis: bilateral and tripartite enforcement cooperation agreements, bilateral trade agreements with competition provisions, plurilateral trade agreements, and the negotiations over a possible multilateral agreement on competition. As to the latter, the EU is the focus of examination of these agreements. In this regard, the study analyses all the relevant agreements signed by the EU and the socio-political environment under which these agreements are negotiated and (where relevant) applied in practice, as well as the influence that these agreements have had on the conclusion of similar agreements by other countries.
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