Competition authorities all over the world monitor competition on markets. They increasingly rely on expert economic assessments of the impact on competition and consumers when they scrutinize commercial or regulatory activity.
Our Competition team helps clients to build and communicate their best economic argument when they face interest or intervention from competition authorities.
We have broad experience using qualitative and quantitative tools such as SNIPP and UPP in market definition and effects assessments, for example using econometric and model-based tools, in both one- and two-sided markets. We can assist in all types of cases involving mergers, dominant firms and agreements, state aid or the competitive consequences of regulatory changes.
We provide help in all industries, both nationally and internationally.
We assist private clients with screening for potential concerns that the competition authorities might have and with providing economic support in phase 1 and phase 2 investigations, for example by defining the relevant market, assessing market and efficiency effects, and documenting the effect of commitments.
We assist private clients with screening and measuring the economic consequences for consumers and competition of commercial activity from dominant firms or commercial agreements, for example pricing and rebates. This may be carried out either when a case has been opened or as a precautionary compliance initiative.
We help European public or private clients determine whether financial support to commercial activities constitute state aid or not using the market investor test or whether it may be allowable due to the balance test.
We help private and public clients to estimate the impact of regulatory change on competition, providing information that may be used to argue for the introduction or removal of certain regulation.
