Course 2024-2025 a.y.

• European antitrust law and its public enforcement.
• European vs. National competition laws. The European network of competition authorities.
• Basic economic tools: relevant markets and market power.
• The prohibition of abuses of a dominant position.
• The prohibition of anti-competitive agreements.
• The investigative, decisional, fining and remedial powers of European antitrust authorities.
• Merger regulation: jurisdiction, assessment, remedies.
• The private enforcement of European antitrust law.

• Correctly identify the objectives of antitrust law and distinguish them from those characterizing other pieces of business regulations.
• Identify jurisdiction of European vs. national antitrust law.
• Describe the antitrust procedure (investigative powers, decisional and remedial powers; fines) and justify each of those powers in the context of a model of optimal antitrust enforcement.
• Understand the modus operandi and reasoning followed by antitrust authorities when assessing a potentially anticompetitive behaviour.
• Recognize in hypothetical cases which pieces of antitrust law could be applied (agreements, abuses of a dominant position, mergers), as well as the liability conditions and limits of application of such individual prohibitions.

• Identify possible antitrust risks by using legal analysis and principles.
• Use (simple) economic instruments and indexes to define areas of potential antitrust risk when designing a  business strategy.
• Solve hypothetical cases concerning the lawfulness of business agreements and behaviour on the market from an antitrust law standpoint.
• Define an antitrust defense strategy.
• Suggest methods of self-evaluation of business activities to avoid or limit the risk of subsequent antitrust liability.
• Demonstrate the ability to orally explain and communicate with appropriate legal vocabulary.

• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)

• The course hosts one or more guest speakers, such as antitrust lawyers and officials aimed at better understanding how antitrust law is enforced, the risks and opportunities for businesses, as well as general antitrust consulting and defense activities.
• Hypothetical cases also be analyzed in class. Focusing on a business’s conduct or behavior, possible antitrust liabilities and conditions under which such conduct may be considered prohibited or on the other hand allowed – also because of offering commitments – are identified.
• At the end of each of the course’s main sections (restrictive agreements, abuses of a dominant position, mergers), the instructor prepares a mock exam showing how to solve both theoretical and practical questions.
• At the end of each of the course's main sections, students will be required to study and comment in class an online and interactive. 
• Because of the course’s set up, the need to discuss the case law in class, as well as the need to learn how to solve hypothetical antitrust cases, a committed and pro-active attendance is highly recommended.

The exam, composed of two scenario questions, aims at verifying students' ability to detect and solve the legal issues behind each scenario. In particular: solve hypothetical cases concerning the lawfulness of business agreements and other business behaviour and define possible antitrust defense strategies.

1 hour to answer the two questions

500 words for each answer 

No differences between attending and non-attending students 

The final grade will result from the arithmetical average of the two grades gained for the two questions. Students do not pass the exam if they fail one answer  

mind maps 

ppt presentations

readings (optional)