Full Description
Despite the growing importance of 'consumer welfare' in EU competition law debates, there remains a significant disconnect between rhetoric and reality, as consumers and their interests still play only an ancillary role in this area of law.
Consumer Involvement in Private EU Competition Law Enforcement is the first monograph to exclusively address this highly topical and much debated subject, providing a timely and wide-ranging examination of the need for more active consumer participation in competition law. Written by an expert in the field, it sets out a comprehensive framework of policy implications and arguments for greater involvement, positioning the debate in the context of a broader EU law perspective. It outlines pragmatic approaches to remedial and procedural measures that would enable consumer empowerment. Finally, the book identifies key institutional and political obstacles to the adoption of effective measures, and suggests alternative routes to enhance the role of consumers in private competition law enforcement.
The book's innovative approach, combining normative analysis and practical solutions, make it invaluable for academics, policy-makers, and practitioners in the field.
Contents
Introduction ; Part 1 POLICY AND NORMATIVE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR INCREASED CONSUMER PARTICIPATION IN PRIVATE EU COMPETITION LAW ENFORCEMENT ; 1. CONSUMER INTEREST IN EU COMPETITION LAW: A POLICY ANALYSIS ; 2. NORMATIVE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR INCREASED CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT ; Part 2 FORMULATING MEASURES ENHANCING THE CONSUMERS' ROLE IN PRIVATE COMPETITION LAW ENFORCEMENT ; 3. 'STANDING' AND 'ACCESS TO EVIDENCE': OBSTACLES FOR 'GROUP A' AND 'GROUP B' CONSUMER CLAIMS ; 4. COLLECTIVE ACTIONS: ADDRESSING 'GROUP B' CONSUMER CLAIMS ; Part 3 TOWARDS ACCEPTABLE MECHANISMS ; 5. CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC COMPETITION LAW ENFORCEMENT: TOWARDS ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVES ; 6. OVERCOMING INSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL LIMITATIONS: APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF EUROPEAN WIDE MEASURES ; 7. CONCLUDING REMARKS ; Bibliography
