Interuniversity Certificate in Competition Law

Description complète

LA FORMATION

La formation se donne à Bruxelles, l'une des grandes capitales mondiales de la politique de concurrence.

Bruxelles est en effet le siège de l'autorité européenne en matière de concurrence, la Commission. Elle est aussi le lieu de résidence de nombreuses entreprises belges et étrangères importantes, ainsi que des institutions belges de la concurrence et de la plupart des cabinets d'avocat·e·s et de conseil spécialisés en cette matière. Bruxelles est donc le lieu de convergence de la demande de formation en Droit de la concurrence et de l'expertise (know-how) en cette matière.

OBJECTIFS

Les deux objectifs dominants sont donc d'une part, l'offre aux praticien·ne·s du droit de la concurrence d'une mise à jour sérieuse et complète de leurs connaissances et, d'autre part, la formation de spécialistes au sein des entreprises, administrations et autres opérateurs économiques, afin de leur permettre de réduire le risque de violation du droit de la concurrence.

PROGRAMME

Ce programme d'études est dispensé en anglais. En pratique, il est divisé en 10 modules et 3 séminaires pratiques couvrant l'ensemble du Droit européen de la concurrence et des questions économiques qui y sont associées: accords de coopération horizontale, accords verticaux et réseaux de distribution, cartels, abus de position dominante, fusions et acquisitions, aides d'État, etc.

Chaque module d'une durée de 13,5 h se décline en 3 sessions. Il est coordonné par un·e responsable académique et enseigné par un·e juriste/avocat·e, un·e économiste et/ou un·e fonctionnaire de la Commission européenne pour épouser la nature multidisciplinaire de la politique de la concurrence.

Modules

Module 1 - General introduction to competition law and economics

Practical importance of competition law
Macro and micro economic effects of competition policy
Perfect competition, monopoly and oligopoly (Cournot and Bertrand)
The relevant market, market definition, the hypothetical monopoly test
Market power (incl. measurement techniques), market concentration, barriers to entry/expansion
The cellophane fallacy and other common fallacies
Overview of the competition rules and their history
The German ordo-liberal school
The market integration ethos
Institutions, enforcement and procedures
Relationship between EU and national competition law
Effect on trade between Member States
The concept of undertaking
Extraterritorial application of EU competition law and the effects doctrine
Case studies

Module 2 - The law and economics of cartel agreements

Collusion and leniency in economic theory
Economic and historical background of cartel enforcement
Types of cartel practices
Administrtive procedure
The leniency programme
Fines and limitation periodes
Parental liability and other imputability issues
Judicial review in cartel cases
The settlement procedure
International cooperation in cartel cases
Case studies

Module 3 - The law and economics of horizontal cooperation agreements

Joint ventures - general issues
Principles of analysis under Art. 101 TFEU
Exchange of information agreements
R and D agrements
Production agreements
Purchasing agreements and buyer groups
Commercialization agreements
Standardization/standard terms generally
Standardization/IPR-related issues
The specific example of airlines alliances
Estimation of follow-on damages

Module 4 - The law and economics of vertical restraints

Introduction to the new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation 2022/720 and the new Vertical Guidelines
Common features (notion of agreements, market share, threshold,...)
Exclusive distribution
Non-exclusive distribution
Selective distribution
Franchising
Resale price maintenance
Active and passive sales
Agency
On-line distribution
Single branding, upfront access payment and category management
Vertical coordination (double marginalization, retail services, free riding, commitment problem)
Inter-brand versus intra-brand competition
Workshops

Module 5 - The law and economics of merger control

Adoption of the EUMR
Application of the EUMR
Pillars of EU merger control
Comparison with U.S. merger control law
Evolution of EU merger control
Notion of concentration
EUMR jurisdiction and division of powers with Member states
Market definition under the EUMR
SIEC test and the economic fundamentals of merger control
Horizontal mergers
Vertical mergers
Conglomerate mergers
Failing firm
Efficiencies
Evidentiary principles, standard of proof, checks and balances
Types of evidence: merging parties' documents, witness statements, consumer surveys, quantitative evidence, etc.
Remedies: divestitures, severance of links with rivals, other remedies
Jidicial review, damages, expedited procedure, appeals to EU Courts

Module 6 - The law and economics of abuse of dominance

Dominance
History of article 102 TFEU - Exploitation v. Exclusion
The effects-based approach
The concept of abuse, general considerations
Predatory pricing
Rebates
Refusal to deal
Margin squeeze
Price discrimination
Tying/bundling
Abuse of collective dominance
Other abusive practices
Case studies

Module 7 - The law and economics of State aid

Brief historical and economic background
The notion of State aid: legal concept v. economic theory
State aid administrative procedure (European Commission procedure)
Judicial review (EU and nationale courts)
Compatibility assessment of State aid: the centre role of economic theory - the balancing test
Compatibility assessment of State aid: focus on rescue and restructuring aid (including financial crisis measures), Covid-19 crisis an its phasing out, Ukraine Temporary Crisis Framework, regional aid and climate, energy and environmental aid

Module 8 - The procedural and institutional framework of EU competition enforcement

DG COMP and other relevant Commission organs
Decentralisation under Regulation 1/2003, the role of NCAs and of national judges
Infringement decisions and remedies
The settlement procedure
Interim measures
Withdrawal of block exemptions
Commitments, voluntary ajustments, inapplicability, etc.
Informal guidance
Fines
Appeal before the C.J.E.U.
Annulment proceedings
Failure to act
Actions for damages
Case studies

Module 9 - Competition law and the regulation of network industries

Regulation and regulatory theory: Why regulation (legal, political and economics reasons) ?
Market opening reforms and basic components of regulation: EU liberalisation policy
Institutions of regulation (Commission, national regulatory agencies)
Energy regulation (gas and electricity)
Electronic communications regulation
Price regulation
Access price regulation, vertical separation and investment
Universal service and Internet neutrality
Application of competition policy to electronic communications markets: margin squeeze, cartels, mergers
Application of cocmpetition law to energy markets: abuse, agreements, mergers
Relationship between competition law and regulation
Case studies

Module 10 - EU competition law and intellectual property

Economic rationale for the protection of intellectual creations
Various types of IPRs and their respective regulatory frameworks
Alternative instruments to encourage innovation
Use and abuse of IP rights, including IP Licensing practices and compulsory licensing
Competition Law and IP in ICT and platform markets
Cumulative innovations, hold-up and tragedy of the anti-commons
Standard-setting, network effects and licensing
The pharmaceutical sector inquiry and patent settlements

Clinical seminar

Seminar 1 - Competition compliance

The challenge of compliance in practice
Added value of a compliance programme
The process of designing a compliance programme?
Do's and don'ts

Seminar 2 - Competition and arbitration

Arbitrability and public policy
Duty for arbitrators to raise competition law issues
Arbitration as an appropriate tool to litigate private damages claims
Unenforceability defense in contract litigation
Relevance and weight of decisions issued by competition authorities in arbitration proceedings

Seminar 2 - Competition law and digital platforms

Distintive features of digital platforms
Challenges for competition law
Analysis of the leading competition precedents involving digital platforms
the Digital Markets Act and other regulatory proposals

EVALUATION

Les candidat·e·s sont évalué·e·s en fin de chaque module par un "Take Home" examen. Ces examens sont au préalable validés par les directeurs de la Brussels School of Competition.

Les candidat·e·s doivent également réaliser un TFE (dissertation sans défense orale en fin d'année académique et participation aux trois Clinical seminar).

Les conditions de réussite en droit de la concurrence sont les suivantes :

suivre le programme complet (10 modules + 3 Séminaires cliniques)
obtenir un minimum de 10/20 aux 10 examens présentés
obtenir un minimum de 10/20 pour le TFE

Atouts du programme

Points forts du programme

Il offre une formation pratique, grâce à l'intervention de professionnel·le·s en la matière ; avocat·e·s spécialisé·e·s, consultant·e·s économiques et haut·e·s fonctionnaires ;
Il adopte une approche moderne et interactive, ce qui reflète pleinement la nature interdisciplinaire (droit et économie) de la politique de la concurrence ;
Il propose un programme de formation flexible compatible avec les exigences de la pratique professionnelle ;
Il donne l'opportunité aux étudiant·e·s d'accéder à un réseau de professionnel·le·s ;
Il est organisé à Bruxelles, capitale européenne de la politique de concurrence et a lieu dans le centre de conférences de la FEB, ce qui rapproche le programme du monde de l'entreprise.

Acquis d'apprentissage

Compétences acquises à l'issue du programme

Une connaissance approfondie du Droit de la concurrence, dans ses aspects théoriques (économie industrielle notamment), pratiques (procédure contentieuse et non contentieuse, procédure administrative et judiciaire), et politiques (enjeux de la décision publique). L'ensemble des domaines de la matière sont maîtrisés à l'issue du programme. Un accent est aussi placé sur le Droit national de la concurrence, selon la nationalité des enseignant·e·s.