Competition law is an increasingly popular and exciting area of law whose aim is to make free markets work to consumers’ benefit. As markets develop and change rapidly, the implementation of competition law raises challenging questions that are vital for the effective functioning of markets and the protection of citizen welfare. These questions include: how can competition law be implemented in fast changing technology markets without stifling innovation? How can competition and intellectual property rules coexist without reducing the effectiveness of either? Can individuals working in gig economy organise to protect their interests without triggering competition rules?
These are some of the questions we will tackle in this module. In terms of the substantive content, the module will focus on, among others, the main rules of competition in the UK and the EU legal systems, including rules against anti-competitive agreements, monopolisation/abuse of dominance, anticompetitive mergers and public and private enforcement of competition rules. The module will be taught through discursive seminars leading to an extensive understanding of the operation of competition rules. The module will be assessed by coursework.