CONSEQUENCES OF BREXIT ON THE COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
Keywords:
Brexit, UK competition law, EU competition law, short-term consequences, long-term consequences
Abstract
The subject matter of this paper is the short-term and long-term consequences of Brexit − a historical event and a turning point in the development of the European Union (EU), for the United Kingdom (UK), and the EU competition law and policy. A comparative analysis of the historical development of legal regulation of competition in the UK and the EU, with a presentation of relevant cases from the practice of competition authorities, has been given at the beginning of the paper. A special emphasis was placed on the decisions of the European Commission regarding the anti-cartel policy. To what extent Brexit will influence the mergers and acquisitions policy, antitrust policy, anti-cartel policy, and state aid policy in the UK and the EU, are the topics covered in this paper. The central question refers to the extent of Brexit's influence on the change of UK and EU business environment and the repercussions that this change will have for the competition law. Finally, concluding remarks are given regarding the direction of future development of the UK competition law, i.e. whether and to what extent the UK law will be harmonized with the EU competition law and case law in this area, or there will be a radical turn towards adopting a completely new concept of competition law and policy.
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Cseres, K. (2010). Comparing Laws in the Enforcement of EU and National Competition Laws. European Journal of Legal Studies. 3 (1). 7‒44
Dunne, N. (2017). Competition Law and Policy after Brexit. Department of Law, London School of Economics and Political Science. LSE Law Policy Briefing Series Brexit Special 4.1-4
Girardet, P., Saha, R., Meyer, P. Brexit - How Will Antitrust Cases and Mergers be Impacted? (2020). Willkie Farr & Gallaghier (UK) LLP. Available at: https://www.willkie.com/-/media/files/publications/2020/01/brexithowwillantitrustcasesandmergersbeimpacted.pdf
Goyder, D.G. (1965). Public Control of Mergers. Modern Law Review. 28 (6). 654‒674
Hudson, N. (2016). The European Coal and Steel Community: the Path Towards European Integration. Portland State University, University Honors Theses. Paper 276. 1‒41. Available at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1304&context=honorstheses
Jones, A. (2017). Brexit: Implications for UK Competition Law. King's College London Dickson Poon School of Law. Legal Studies Research Paper Series: Paper No. 2017-21. 1‒ 21. Available at: https://bit.ly/3tuB06p
Lever, J. (1999). The Development of British Competition Law: a Complete Overhaul and H armonization. Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB), Berlin. WZB Discussion Paper, no. FS IV 99-4.1‒39
Loyens & Loeff. (2016). Brexit: what might change Corporate / M & A
Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH. (2016). Newsletter: Mergers & Acquisitions 4. Quartal 2016. Brexit: Impact on M&A
Nourry, A., Chandralekha, G. Dawn Raids – Expect the Unexpected. (2018). Clifford Chance LLP. Available at: https://www.cliffordchance.com/content/dam/cliffordchance/PDFDocuments/dawn_raids_expect_the_unexpected.pdf
Reader, D . (2015). Revisiting the Role of Public Interest in Merger Control, Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. University of East Anglia UEA Law School. Available at: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/68329/1/David_Reader_-_PhD_Document_(Final).pdf
Richardson, J.J. (1967). The Making Of The Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956 - A Case Study Of The Policy Process In Britain. Parliamentary Affairs. 20 (4). 350–374
Schonberg, M. (2017). Continuity or change? State aid control in a post-Brexit United Kingdom. Competition Law Journal. 16 (1). 1−62
Scott, A. (2009). The Evolution of Competition Law and Policy in the United Kingdom. London School of Economics and Political Science Law Department. LSE Law, Society and Economy Working Papers 9/2009. 1-27. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/24564/1/WPS2009-09_Scott.pdf
The Institute of Risk Management & Competition and Markets Authority. (2014). Competition Law Risk - A Short Guide. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/372555/CMA_Risk_Guide.pdf
Electronic sources:
Commission of the European Communities. White paper on Damages actions for breach of the EC antitrust rules. Retrieved 3.3.2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/competition/antitrust/actionsdamages/files_white_paper/whitepaper_en.pdf
Encyclopedia Britannica. Treaty of Rome. Retrieved 13.2.2021. from https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-Rome
Eur-Lex. Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community. Retrieved 1.4.2021 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12020W%2FTXT
EUR-Lex. Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings. Retrieved 3.3.2021 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31989R4064.
EUR-Lex. Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings. Retrieved 3.3.2021 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31989R4064.
EUR-Lex. EEC Council: Regulation No 17: First Regulation implementing Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty. Retrieved 3.3.2021 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A31962R0017
EUR-Lex. EEC Council: Regulation No 17: First Regulation implementing Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty. Retrieved 3.3.2021 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A31962R0017
European Commission - Directorate-general competition. Notice to stakeholders - Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of State Aid. Retrieved 28.3.2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/notice-stakeholders-brexit-state-aid_en.pdf
European Commission. The Maastricht Treaty: an impetus for the cohesion policy. Retrieved 9.2.2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/newsroom/news/2016/12/12-09-2016-the-maastricht-treaty-an-impetus-for-the-cohesion-policy#:~:text = The% 20treaty% 20brought% 20the% 20first, the% 20Economic% 20and% 20Monetary% 20Union.
European Commission. Antitrust / Cartel Cases. Retrieved 4.3.2021 from https://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=1_39824
European Union. The Schuman Declaration - 9 May 1950. Retrieved 13.3.2021 from https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/europe-day/schuman-declaration_en
Friedrich Graf von Westphalen – Rechtsanwälte. Brexit und Kartellrecht: Vorsicht bei wettbewerbsbeschränkenden Vereinbarungen mit UK-Bezug. Retrieved 25.3.2021 from https://www.fgvw.de/brexit/brexit-und-kartellrecht-vorsicht-bei-wettbewerbsbeschraenkenden-vereinbarungen
Gleiss Lutz. Brexit: EU-Kartellrecht ohne Großbritannien. Retrieved 25.3.2021 from https://www.gleisslutz-brexit.com/pdf/Brexit_%20EU-Kartellrecht%20ohne%20Gro%C3%9Fbritannien.pdf
Government of the United Kingdom. Avoid and report anti-competitive activity. Retrieved 1.4.2021 from https://www.gov.uk/cartels-price-fixing
Legal Tribune Online. Der Brexit und das Wettbewerbsrecht. Nur Nach¬teile – und zwar für alle. Retrieved 26.3.2021 from https://www.lto.de/recht/kanzleien-unternehmen/k/brexit-abkommen-wettbewerbsrecht-beihilfenrecht-unternehmen-kartellverfahren/
Official Journal of the European Union. Part Two, Heading One, Title XI, Article 3.9 of Trade And Cooperation Agreement Between The European Union And The European Atomic Energy Community, Of The One Part, And The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland, Of The Other Part. Retrieved 31.3.2021 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1580206007232&uri=CELEX%3A12019W/TXT%2802%29
Pinsent Masons. State aid laws to be revoked in the UK. Retrieved 2.4.2021 from https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/state-aid-laws-to-be-revoked-in-the-uk
The National Archives, Art. 132 of Enterprise Act 2002 (repealed). Retrieved 1.4.2021 from legislation.gov.ukBuren. Brexit & M&A: impacts for targets with UK activities and for UK buyers. Retrieved 8.3.2021 from https://www.burenlegal.com/en/news/brexit-ma-impacts-targets-uk-activities-and-uk-buyers
The National Archives. Part 2 Amendment of the Competition Act 1998 Art. 23 of The Competition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. Retrieved 29.3.2021 from https: //www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/93/contents/made
UK Parliament. Thirty-Seventh Report of the Committee of Public Accounts: The Office of Fair Trading: Protecting the Consumer From Unfair Trading Practices. Retrieved 1.4.2021 from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmpubacc/501/50103.htm
White & Case. Changing Roles: the CMA during the Transition Period. Retrieved 25.3.2021 from https://www.whitecase.com/publications/alert/changing-roles-cma-during-transition-period-and-beyond
White & Case. State aid and the Brexit Trade Agreement: What's new, what's not, and what's next. Retrieved 29.3.2021 from https://www.whitecase.com/publications/alert/state-aid-and-brexit-trade-agreement-whats-new-whats-not-and-whats-next
Wirtschaftskanzlei Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek. Beratungsthemen im Zusammenhang mit einem drohenden Brexit: Kartellrecht/Beihilferecht. Retrieved 26.3.2021 from https://www.heuking.de/de/news-events/fachbeitraege/beratungsthemen-im-zusammenhang-mit-einem-drohenden-brexit-kartellrechtbeihilferecht.html
Published
2021/10/28
Section
Review Paper