Browsing by Author "Ellman, Essi"

Public policy considerations have had a varying degree of impact in EU competition law. Throughout the years, the European Commission has allowed for certain public policy considerations, such as the protection of the environment and employment, but “the more economic approach” of the early 21st century has marked a turning point in this regard. Economic analysis has since the late 1990s become an increasingly important part of competition analysis and enforcement, and the focus on economic parameters has led to a more cautious attitude towards public policy interests. Despite the advantages that the more economic approach has given to EU competition law, some argue that it has led to an overly price-centric approach to consumer welfare. Competition policies on a global scale are affected by different underlying economic theories. The varying economic and theoretical approaches can be classified into different schools of thought, which affect the underlying presumptions of how competition in the market is achieved. Antitrust law in the United States has been affected mainly by the Chicago and Harvard schools of thought, both of which have also affected the development of EU competition law. However, EU competition law can also be perceived as its own, distinct school of thought, namely the European school of thought. The purpose of this thesis is to assess public policy considerations in light of the European school of thought and its theoretical framework. The research question entails several different themes. Public policy considerations are first studied with case law and sustainability is highlighted as a recent and relevant example. In addition to public policy considerations, another essential theme to this thesis is the different schools of thought affecting competition law and policy. By studying the European school of thought and the social market economy, this thesis aims to emphasise the sui generis features of EU competition law. As the notion of social market economy implies that competition law should consider societal concerns as well, a relevant question in this regard is whether competition law should be interpreted coherently with the totality of EU law. In other words, this is a question of whether competition law should remain independent of the totality of EU law, or whether EU-wide goals and values should be accommodated in competition law as well. This thesis also studies the possibility of a broader conception of consumer welfare, mainly by analysing “the fair share of the benefits” and the concept of consumer well-being. The research question is contemplative by nature, and so are the conclusions of this thesis. A primary issue in studying this topic is that the objectives and priorities of EU competition law remain somewhat unclear. A central notion in this regard is the dichotomy between the Commission and the European Court of Justice, as they have given somewhat differing notions on the objectives of competition law. As for the European school of thought, a central notion is that EU competition law is embedded in a framework that is fundamentally different from the Chicago school of thought. The concept of the social market economy, together with Article 3 TEU and Articles 7 and 11 TFEU, suggest that the theoretical foundations for considering public policy interests in competition law exist. Studying the possibility of long-term consumer welfare, benefits to the society as a whole and the concept of consumer well-being, demonstrate that the economically oriented notion of consumer welfare is perhaps too narrow in the context of the social market economy. All in all, the question of public policy considerations in EU competition law is ultimately perceived as a question of including fundamental values and objectives of the Union in competition law and policy.