From Courage v. Crehan to the Green Paper

1

• From Courage v. Crehan to the Green Paper
• The changing landscape of European private
  enforcement
• and the possible implications for Article 82
  litigation
• Max Planck Forum on Competition Law
• Munich, October 13, 2006
• Dr Ariel Ezrachi
• The University of Oxford Centre for Competition
  Law and Policy

2
Outline

1. The Public Value of Private Action.
2. The (Under) Development of Private Enforcement in
   Europe.
3. Obstacles Challenges
4. The Interplay between Private Enforcement and
   Article 82 EC.

3
The Public Value of Private Action

• The promotion of public policies
• The promotion of individual rights
• Interim injunction
• Actions for damages
• follow-on damage actions
• stand-alone damage actions
• Yet, note the distorting effect of the
  profit-motive

4
The (Under) Development of Private Enforcement in
Europe

• The Ashurst study (2004)
• astonishing diversity and total
  underdevelopment
• The Green Paper (December 2005)
• Focus on damages actions
• Consider the wider picture
• - National courts
• - Out-of-court settlements
• - Arbitration

5

• Court
• Courage v. Crehan
• Inntrepreneur Pub Company v. Crehan
• Vincenzo Manfredi v Lloyd Adriatico Assicurazioni
  
• GT-Link A/S v De Danske Statsbaner
• Regulation
• Regulation 1/2003
• Notice on the cooperation between national courts
  and the Commission
• Notice on the handling of complaints under
  Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty

6
Private Enforcement -Obstacles Challenges

• Unlevelled playing field
• Damages for breach
• Group actions
• Access to, and use of, evidence
• Cost-risk
• Passing on defence
• Cost-risk

7
The Interplay Between Private Enforcement and
Article 82 EC

• Developments at the private enforcement level
  set the overriding incentives for Article 82
  litigation
• Damage claims
• Three variables
• Article 82 jurisprudence
• National courts capacity to engage in economic
  analysis
• Private enforcement consultation
• stand-alone vis-à-vis follow-on damage
  actions
• Injunctive relief
• Out of court settlements

8
Concluding Remarks

• Three variables
• Article 82 jurisprudence
• National courts capacity to engage in economic
  analysis
• Private enforcement consultation