Competition Law and Antitrust: A Global Introduction and Guide

Competition law shapes the conduct of business firms by deterring conduct that can harm both private interests—businesses and their employees, owners, and customers—and public interests such as the efficiency of markets, economic development, economic growth, and perhaps even social and political and economic stability. Despite its often immense importance, competition law is often poorly understood, and there are major differences among competition law regimes. This Guide makes competition law understandable and accessible to people everywhere. It provides a new set of tools that help the reader to make sense of competition law in any country and to recognize differences among them. It presents an integrated picture of competition law that is both domestic and global, and it uses this view to cut through the vast amount of data about competition laws and shape it to maximize access and understanding. It asks a central question: What factors influence decisions? Decisions in any competition law regime are often influenced by factors outside the host country, so the Guide shows how competition laws influence each other. It pays particular attention to the most influential competition law regimes—US and EU—and notes patterns of competition law in East Asia, Latin America, and developing countries.