Competition Law and Regional Economic Integration : An Analysis of the Southern Mediterranean Countries

This study argues that adoption strengthening of a competition law regime is a key component of the regulatory reforms, which are required to allow a market economy in the Mediterranean region. It also argues that the competition rules inserted in the Association Agreements signed between the European Union (EU) and the Mediterranean Partners (MPs) currently fail to provide adequate protection against anticompetitive practices affecting trade between these blocks. Moreover, the competition law regimes adopted by the MPs are generally poorly enforced with the consequence that many domestic anticompetitive practices remain unchallenged. In addition, this study addresses the issue of regulatory convergence between the EU and the MPs in the field of competition law, that is, whether the MPs should align their competition rules on European Community (EC) competition rules. It argues that while such convergence would bring a series of benefits to both the EU and the MPs, it would also involve costs. The study thus argues in favor of a prudent approach whereby the transposition of EC competition rules in the MPs would not be automatic, but would be based on the local circumstances of each MP. One of the primary tasks of the MPs' competition authorities should be to develop a realistic enforcement agenda, which would ensure that the limited resources of these authorities are used in the most effective manner possible. In its final part, this study proposes a series of steps that could be taken by the European Union and the MPs to strengthen competition policy in the Mediterranean region, including proposals for technical assistance in the field of competition law.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Geradin, Damien
Format:	Publication biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	Washington, DC: World Bank 2004-06
Subjects:	AGREEMENT ON TRADE, ANTICOMPETITIVE CONDUCT, ANTITRUST AUTHORITY, ANTITRUST RULES, BARRIERS TO ENTRY, BILATERAL AGREEMENTS, BILATERAL TRADE, CARTEL, CARTELS, COLLUSION, COMPETITION, COMPETITION AUTHORITIES, COMPETITION LAW, COMPETITION LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMPETITION LAWS, COMPETITION LEGISLATION, COMPETITION POLICIES, COMPETITION POLICY, COMPETITION REGIME, COMPETITION REGIMES, COMPETITION RULES, CONSUMER SATISFACTION, CONSUMERS, DOMESTIC COMPETITION, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ECONOMIC COOPERATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, ENACTMENT, ENFORCEMENT OF COMPETITION, EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS, FAIR TRADING, FOREIGN COMPETITION, FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, FREE TRADE, FREE TRADE AREA, FTC, GDP, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, LEGISLATION, MARKET, MARKET INTEGRATION, MARKET POWER, MERGERS, MONOPOLIES, MPS, MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS, MULTILATERAL TRADE, NATIONAL COMPETITION, NATIONS, PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS, POLICY MAKERS, PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, REGIONAL TRADE, REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS, REGULATORY CONVERGENCE, REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS, REGULATORY REGIMES, SAFEGUARD CLAUSE, SUPRANATIONAL ENFORCEMENT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TELECOMMUNICATION, TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR, TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, TRADE POLICIES, TRADE POLICY, TRADE RELATIONSHIPS, WORLD TRADE, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, WTO ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, TRADE, EMERGING ECONOMIES, LAW & ECONOMICS, INFRASTRUCTURE, PROTECTION, COMPETITION LAW & LEGISLATION, PARTNERSHIP, GLOBAL ECONOMY, TRADE AGREEMENTS, ANTITRUST REGULATIONS, LIBERALIZATION, ADVOCACY, LAW ENFORCEMENT,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2004/06/4971225/competition-law-regional-economic-integration-analysis-southern-mediterranean-countries http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14940
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