Chillin'Competition

My writing in the blog is not the only side effect of Alfonso’s long working hours. We should have run the Brussels 20k together (I bet he even forgot about that). Maybe next year!

As I have devoted part of my Sunday to update an article, I thought It could be a good idea to ask your views about one of my forthcoming pieces. The view that there is something wrong with Article 102 TFEU is far from unanimous, but it is certainly widespread. There is not even a consensus as to what exactly is wrong with the said provision. In my view, the problem with existing case law is not in any way economic, as many authors believe, but legal. Cases addressing the same questions (say, price cuts) follow different rationales (just compare AKZO and Compagnie Maritime Belge). The substantive standards of intervention also vary across practices. Sometimes, the mere potential of foreclosure is sufficient to trigger the application of Article 102 TFEU (rebates and exclusive dealing are a classic example). Other practices require concrete evidence of foreclosure (just think of the case law on refusals to deal and that on margin squeezes).

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