The Economics of Competition Law [archived]

Overview Top

The training on “The Economics of Competition Law” as a part of project CONSTANT “COmpetitioN and STate aid law Advanced National Training for judges” will took place on 12-14 July 2017 in Borovets, “Euphoria Club Hotel & SPA”.

The training was triggered by the paramount importance of sufficient understanding of the economic principles of competition law by national judges.

Strongly focused on practical examples and direct application of the acquired knowledge, the activities covered basic introduction into the economics of competition policy (including basic economic notions) and differences with the economic regulation in some specific sectors, such as media and telecoms industries.

The activities then focused on selected cases on economics of horizontal restrictions, abuse of dominance, and vertical restrictions.

To keep judges abreast of the latest developments, a bundle of hot topics was presented.

Agenda Top

Day 1, 12 July 2017 (Wednesday)

Day 2, 13 July 2017 (Thursday)

Day 3, 14 July 2017 (Friday)

Venue Top

The training on “The Economics of Competition Law” will be held at “Euphoria Club Hotel & SPA”, Borovets.

“Euphoria Club Hotel & SPA” is situated in the mountain resort Borovets, offering stunning views and relaxing natural surroundings.

LIBRe Foundation will provide each participant in the training with hotel accommodation (3 nights for the period 11.07.2017 – 14.07.2017, including breakfast and tourist tax for a single-room accommodation), as well as lunches, dinners, and coffee breaks for each training day, in accordance with the training schedule. The participant package includes free use of SPA centre, inside swimming pool, and Internet.

The organiser does not cover expenses for alcoholic drinks, mini bar, telephone calls from the guest rooms or any other personal expenses throughout the training.

The hotel check-in is available after 15:00 in the day of arrival. The check-out should be made not later than 12:00 in the day of departure. You will be notified on any possibilities for late check-outs.

Each participant will be reimbursed for their travel costs for train or bus services after they provide the tickets for the journey. If you use your work or personal vehicle, the travel costs will be reimbursed in accordance with the rules for reimbursement in Bulgaria, with no larger amount than 70 BGN, considering the type of vehicle, the fuel consumption, and the distance, and after a receipted invoice is provided by the participant.

• With public transport: bus

The resort Borovets is accessible by two bus lines: “Sofia-Borovets-Sofia” and “Samokov-Borovets-Kostenets/Pazardzhik/Plovdiv”. If you choose this option you could request a transfer from the bus station to the hotel. Please notify us on such matter by filling the online Registration form (please use the field “Share your expectations for the upcoming training event”).

• With personal vehicle: automobile

“Euphoria Club Hotel & SPA” is located at the address: Borovets Resort, 216 Shiroka Polyana Str. (GPS coordinates: 42°16'43.4"N, 23°36'55.5"E). The hotel has a private parking which you could use for free.

Every participant enlisted for the training will receive detail directions for travel and accommodation after confirming their participation.

Speakers Top

Miroslava Marinova is an expert with a Master Degree in Economics and acted as a case handler at the Bulgarian Commission on Protection of Competition for ten years (2004-2014). Currently, she is a second-year Ph.D. candidate in Competition Law at the University of Reading, UK, studying the treatment of fidelity rebates and discounts in EU competition law. Her thesis’ title is “On the usefulness of the Guidelines on the Commission's enforcement priorities in applying Article 82 of the EC Treaty [now Art. 102 TFEU] to abusive exclusionary conduct by dominant undertakings (The Guidance) to the member states, particularly as regards the practical implementation of the price-cost test in fidelity rebate cases.”

Mathieu Relange is a legal expert in innovation and competition law. His practice focuses on the application of EU and French competition law to innovative industries. He advises companies from the IT industry, as well as companies active in markets that are being transformed by new technologies (publishing, advertising, payment services, automotive industry, etc.) As a member of the Paris and Brussels bars, he represents clients in competition law proceedings before the European Commission and the French competition authority.

Ivan Georgiev is a former regional judge (2010-2016) with special interests and practical experience in Competition Law. Mr. Georgiev is also a former member of the Association of European Competition Law Judges (2014-2016). He is currently a practising lawyer and managing partner of a law firm active in the field of Competition Law at national level.

Presentations Top

Day 1, 12.07.2017

• Introduction to Economic Notions (Part 1), Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• Introduction to Economic Notions (Part 2), Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• Economic Foundations of Price Fixing Cartels, Market Sharing, Marketing and Advertising Agreements, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• Ratio of the NCA’s Decision in Preliminary Proceedings Regarding the Admissibility of Collective Actions before the National Court, Att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)
• Qualitative and Quantitative Estimation Methods and Consistent Application, Miroslava Marinova and att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)

Day 2, 13.07.2017

• Selected Hot Topics in Competition Law and the Economics of Competition Law, Att. Mathieu Relange
  • Platforms and One/Two/Multi-Sided Markets. Open Q&A Session and Discussion on EU and National Court Practice
  • The Cases of AC-Treuhand AG v European Commission (C-194/14), Eturas and Others (C-74/14), Case AT.39861, Yen Interest Rate Derivates, Cartes Bancaires and MasterCard. Open Q&A Session and Discussion
  • Open Q&A Session and Discussion
• Interplay between Competition Law Tools and Regulatory Instruments, Miroslava Marinova and att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)
• Economics of Energy Industries Case Study, Miroslava Marinova and att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)

Day 3, 14.07.2017

• Economic Foundations of Exclusive Dealing and Market Foreclosure, Territorial Exclusivity and Parallel Import/Export Bans and Discounts, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• Economic Foundations of Excessive Pricing, Predatory Pricing, Price Squeezing, Bundlingand Tying, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• Selected Cases on Economics of Abuse and Dominance - Case Study and Discussion, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)

Videos (by Modules) Top

Day 1, 12.07.2017

• Introduction to Economic Notions (Part 1), Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

• Introduction to Economic Notions (Part 2), Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

• Economic Foundations of Price Fixing Cartels, Market Sharing, Marketing and Advertising Agreements, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

• Ratio of the NCA’s Decision in Preliminary Proceedings Regarding the Admissibility of Collective Actions before the National Court. Qualitative and Quantitative Estimation Methods and Consistent Application, Miroslava Marinova and att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

Day 2, 13.07.2017

• Selected Hot Topics in Competition Law and the Economics of Competition Law (Part 1), Att. Mathieu Relange
  
  
  • Platforms and One/Two/Multi-Sided Markets. Open Q&A Session and Discussion on EU and National Court Practice
  • The Cases of AC-Treuhand AG v European Commission (C-194/14), Eturas and Others (C-74/14), Case AT.39861, Yen Interest Rate Derivates, Cartes Bancaires and MasterCard. Open Q&A Session and Discussion
  • Open Q&A Session and Discussion

• Selected Hot Topics in Competition Law and the Economics of Competition Law (Part 2), Att. Mathieu Relange
  
  
  • Platforms and One/Two/Multi-Sided Markets. Open Q&A Session and Discussion on EU and National Court Practice
  • The Cases of AC-Treuhand AG v European Commission (C-194/14), Eturas and Others (C-74/14), Case AT.39861, Yen Interest Rate Derivates, Cartes Bancaires and MasterCard. Open Q&A Session and Discussion
  • Open Q&A Session and Discussion

• Interplay between Competition Law Tools and Regulatory Instruments. Economics of Energy Industries Case Study, Miroslava Marinova and att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

Day 3, 14.07.2017

• Economic Foundations of Exclusive Dealing and Market Foreclosure, Territorial Exclusivity and Parallel Import/Export Bans and Discounts, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

• Economic Foundations of Excessive Pricing, Predatory Pricing, Price Squeezing, Bundlingand Tying, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

• Selected Cases on Economics of Abuse and Dominance - Case Study and Discussion, Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
  
  

Training Proceedings Top

"The Economics of Competition Law" Training Proceedings presents the spakers' efforts to further enhance the training conducted in July 2017 by providing additional materials and guidance on the topics discussed. The training proceedings include:

• 'Introduction to Economic Notions' by Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• 'Economic Foundations of Price Fixing Cartels, Market Sharing, Marketing and Advertising Agreements' by Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• 'Ratio of the NCA’s Decision in Preliminary Proceedings Regarding the Admissibility of Collective Actions before the National Court' by att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)
• 'Qualitative and Quantitative Estimation Methods and Consistent Application' by att. Ivan Georgiev (only in Bulgarian)
• 'Digital Platforms and Competition Law', based on the materials provided by att. Hein Hobbelen and the presentation of att. Mathieu Relange
• 'Economic Sector-Specific Regulation. Interplay between Competition Law Tools and Regulatory Instruments' by Miroslava Marinova(only in Bulgarian)
• 'Economic Sector-Specific Regulation. Economics of Energy Industries Case Study - Discussion' by Miroslava Marinova(only in Bulgarian)
• 'Economic Foundations of Exclusive Dealing and Market Foreclosure, Territorial Exclusivity and Parallel Import/Export Bans and Discounts' by Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• 'Economic Foundations of Excessive Pricing, Predatory Pricing, Price Squeezing, Bundlingand Tying' by Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)
• 'Selected Cases on Economics of Abuse and Dominance' by Miroslava Marinova (only in Bulgarian)

The texts are selected and prepared for publishing by the CONSTANT project team in the face of Ivo Emanuilov, Project Coordinator, and Alexandra Tsvetkova, Project Manager.

Further Information Top

For more information on the event or if you wish to change the submitted information related to your dates of arrival and departure, you could contact: