In this issue:
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Antitrust in an Obama Administration
Change and Continuity in International Antitrust Under an Obama Administration
change in the antitrust leadership in the United States as a result of the election of Barack Obama has potentially significant challenging effects for antitrust enforcement and priorities around the world. Nevertheless, some of the differences between Democratic and Republic administrations, at least on international issues, may be exaggerated.
An Open Letter to the Next Federal Trade Commission Chairman
The new FTC Chairman faces unprecedented challenges, as the entire government does. The economic downturn makes competition enforcement even more vital as consumers have suffered from higher prices and less services in concentrated markets.
The Intersection of Antitrust Law and Intellectual Property Rights Under the New Obama Administration
The intersection of antitrust law and intellectual property (“IP”) is a niche that did not command national attention during the lead-up to the election. But evidence exists about President Obama’s general views on antitrust law and on patent reform.
New Antitrust Realism
This essay outlines the needed transformative change in today’s competition policy. The essay proposes more empirical analysis by the U.S. competition authorities, outlines how behavioral economics can assist in this new antitrust realism, and concludes in explaining why such antitrust realism is needed.
Antitrust In the New U.S. Administration: A TransAtlantic View
The election of the new democratic administration in the United States in November 2008 was overwhelmingly greeted in Europe as an opportunity to reinforce transatlantic cooperation and convergence in competition law and policy. This study evaluates the plausibility of greater convergence between EC competition law and U.S. antitrust law in a number of areas: single-firm conduct, vertical contractual restraints, mergers, and state action (state subsidies).
