Competition and Regulation in France

Study Notes

There are two types of public order rules: those that protect the general interest and the functioning of the economy, and those that protect a certain category of people.
The regulation of competition in France is carried out by independent administrative authorities (AAI).
AAI act on behalf of the state while being independent of it and of companies.
There are two types of AAI for competition: the Competition Authority and specialized authorities.
The Competition Authority is responsible for regulating competition in all markets.
Specialized authorities regulate competition in specific sectors.
The Competition Authority has the power to investigate and sanction anti-competitive practices.
The Competition Authority can also approve or reject mergers and acquisitions.
The specialized authorities regulate sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and transport.
The specialized authorities ensure fair competition and protect the interests of consumers.
Companies are prohibited from engaging in anti-competitive practices.
Anti-competitive practices include price fixing, market sharing, and limiting production.
Companies found guilty of anti-competitive practices face fines and damages.
Companies cannot unilaterally change commercial conditions or terminate contracts without notice.
Imposing conditions that create a significant imbalance in rights and obligations is prohibited.
The abrupt termination of a commercial relationship is an anti-competitive practice.
Unilateral termination of a contract without written notice creates a significant imbalance.
Violations of anti-competitive practices result in fines and damages.
Sanctions can be imposed on companies that restrict competition.
The Code of Commerce regulates anti-competitive practices.
Resources on pre-merger control by the European Commission and the Competition Authority are available online.
Examples of past controls by the European Commission can be found in press releases on their website.
Significant mergers are subject to pre-merger control to preserve competition in the market.
There are specific thresholds for triggering pre-merger control by the European Commission.
The Competition Authority also has its own thresholds for pre-merger control.
The purpose of pre-merger control is to prevent mergers that would lead to a significant reduction in market competition.
The European Commission only controls mergers that have a community dimension.
The community dimension refers to mergers between companies with a certain level of revenue.
Pre-merger control is not necessary for mergers between companies with low market shares.
The resources provided can be used to learn more about pre-merger control and find examples of past controls.
Implementing a compliance program would no longer automatically entitle a company to a reduction in financial penalties.
Resources are provided to work on the complementarity of the chapter with the economy.
Various articles and podcasts are suggested to learn about competition and regulation in the economy.
One article discusses the market for internet searches and Google's monopoly.
Another article explains the concept of "pure and perfect" competition.
A podcast discusses deregulation and unfair competition.
The importance of competition in France and the issue of service competition is explored in an article.
An article suggests ways to improve the efficiency of regulatory authorities in enforcing competition laws.
The role of government intervention in the economy is discussed in a document.
A podcast discusses France's response to Apple and Google's market dominance.