The Role of Economic Analysis in EU Competition Law:

The Role of Economic Analysis in EU Competition Law, Fourth Edtion in its revised and updated fourth edition, explores the full spectrum of the development of European economic approach in competition law. Almost two decades after the arrival of the ‘more economics based approach’ to EU competition law, this economic school of thought, the European School, has been properly defined and is now in general used among competition law practitioners and their government counterparts. This approach, studied by Doris Hildebrand since the first edition of this now-classic work, implements the European cornerstones of the social market economy concept such as freedom of contract, social fairness, and the equality principle. In this edition, the author uncovers its multiple rationales as it has gradually formulated the legal principles of ‘competition economics’ that have come to underlie all matters related to Article 101 (1), Article 101 (3), Article 102, the Merger Regulation, and the State Aid provisions.

As in previous editions, the book’s interdisciplinary approach integrates law and economics in such a way that economics in competition proceedings becomes easier to understand for lawyers not trained in economic theory or economic school of thoughts. It offers an in-depth description of ‘European School’ theories and applications, particularly with respect to vertical and horizontal agreements. In addition, the book provides solid guidance on the definition of the relevant antitrust markets, with a detailed description of the hypothetical monopolist test.