Teach students the fundamental principles of competition law and the most recent developments in competition policy and antitrust practice, also through a critical assessment of the main cases. In this perspective, specific consideration is placed on how the economic insights are or might be employed to decide real-life cases in the different jurisdictions. A comparative analysis is thus offered to properly understand similarities and differences in the enforcement practice of authorities and courts, especially of those operating in the European Union, in Italy, and within the US framework. In dealing with the several different economic sectors, the course will also assess the regulatory tools concerning the service providers enjoying significant market power. Lastly, specific attention is also devoted to the digital markets, to the Big Data phenomenon, and to the competitive challenges posed by primary actors as Microsoft, Facebook, Google, WhatsApp and Amazon.

Students will have acquired wide‐ranging and in‐depth knowledge of the main competition and regulation issues, as well as knowledge in specific antitrust areas - especially those concerning the hi-tech sectors - also identified based on their interests and in line with the educational program.

Competition theory and market structure; goals of competition policy; interface between competition law and sector-specific regulation. Market power; market definition. Restrictive agreements; rule of reason v. per se rules; the economics of collusion; horizontal cooperation; vertical restraints. Single-firm conduct; the economics of market power and abuse of dominance; excessive prices; predatory pricing; exclusive dealing and loyalty rebates; refusal to deal; margin squeeze; tying. Concentrations: unilateral and coordinated effects; efficiencies. Public and private enforcement of competition/antitrust rules. Economics of regulation. Big Data: technical, economic and legal issues.

A. Giannaccari, R. Van den Bergh,P. Camesasca, Comparative Competition Law and Economics, Edward Elgar, 2017. Papers on specific topics will be distributed during the seminar, also on the basis of the students’ interests and requests.

Traditional frontal teaching is supplemented with dialogic discussion in order to stimulate the active role by the students. Particular attention will be also given to the critical analysis of real cases. During the classes several important cases, taken also from the Hi-Tech environment, will be discussed.

Final written open book test.

Marked interest for the Competition domain. There are no specific requirements for the assignment of a thesis in this course. Candidates are encouraged to come forward with their own proposals of topics and an additional list of arguments is available with the instructor.