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Protection of Economic Competition - Agreements Violating Competition
Samek, Jiří ; Horáček, Vít (advisor) ; Pelikán, Robert (referee)
1 Abstract - Protection of Economic Competition - Agreements Violating Competition Agreements distorting competition are quite dangerous for the goals of competition law and it is necessary to search for them, find them and punish them. Therefore, the goal of this thesis was to provide a complex explanation of the issue of prohibited agreements from the point of view of Czech and European competition law. Relatively brusque diction of primary sources of law is typical for competition law and for the regulation of prohibited agreements. For this reason a large area of law is left to the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and also for national courts in administrative judiciary. The thesis has in mind also the importance of the soft law which serve as a manual of the approach of the European Commission and the Office for the protection of competition which leads to a higher level of legal certainty. First chapter is dedicated to the explanation of basic terms of economic competition and of competition law. The largest space is given to the definition of the Czech term "competitor" and its European equivalent "undertaking". This chapter also explains relevant market and the matter of relationship between Czech and European competition law. The whole second chapter is dedicated to the...
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Relationship between Competition Law and Intellectual Property Law
Davidová, Tereza ; Horáček, Vít (advisor) ; Rozehnal, Aleš (referee)
This Master thesis named "Relationship between Competition Law and Intellectual Property Law", deals with the interface between competition law and intellectual property law in the context of European Union law. In the beginning of this thesis authors briefly introduce both legal disciplines and explain their most important terms and goals. The thesis is further divided into three main topics. Firstly, we elaborate on theoretic relationship between competition law and intellectual property in regard to their values, aims and methods of regulation. Then we dive into the issue of conflict of nationally regulated intellectual property law with the internal market and the freedom of movement of goods and services. The second thematic part clarifies the difference between market power and statutory monopoly that is granted to the owners of intellectual property. We analyse the specific issues of finding dominant position of competitors owning intellectual property. Then we examine individual types of behaviour that are considered to be abusive in the context of intellectual property law. Special focus is given to the issue of refusal to licence intellectual property that falls within the definition of essential facility doctrine. Lastly, we concentrate on cartel agreements in the context of intellectual...
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Current Patent Strategies in Pharmaceutical Industry and their Impact on EU Competition Law Policies
Molitorisová, Alexandra ; Dobřichovský, Tomáš (advisor) ; Pítra, Vladimír (referee)
The thesis reviews current patent strategies of original pharmaceutical companies and their tangled role in the fabric of European pharmaceutical innovation and competition. It addresses several components of the European pharmaceutical industry such as regulatory framework, patent filing and dispute strategies and competition law. It argues that patent law is embedded in a broader competition law framework however plays on a separate field where it governs primarily the entry to its exclusive space by market actors. However it asserts that competition law should serve as a time referee for the patent law playfield and check if the abusive prolongation of exclusive patent position does not occur. The thesis deliberates that in view of ever rising number of patent applications, abuse of the patent system may become symptomatic to the system. The Commission data presented in the Final Report on the pharmaceutical sector inquiry are again inspected. Although data should be used with caution, it revealed a good quantitative base for assessment of a system which seemingly becomes more entropic, complex and susceptible to abuse. Therefore the underlying principles in both patent and competition law should be upheld more strongly than ever. It is the principle of fairness that should have normative force...
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Legal aspects of on-site inspection of the Office for the Protection of Competition and the European Commission
Krempl, Adam ; Horáček, Vít (advisor) ; Horáček, Tomáš (referee)
The Master's thesis describes and analyses the legislation of the on-site inspections conducted by the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition and the European Commission. The competition authorities may investigate business and other premises in order to find evidence proving the violation of competition rules. The on- site inspection or so called dawn raid is a main investigative and the most effective tool of the competition authorities in proceedings concerning the possible breach of competition law. The main aim of this thesis is to provide a detailed description of the relevant legislation and case law, to highlight any legal issues connected with on-site inspections and offer solutions of these issues, and finally to examine guarantees of the fundamental rights of the undertakings during the inspection. The thesis consists of eight chapters. Chapter One and Two are introductory and describe basic terms connected with the competition law. In Chapter Three the thesis deals with the scope of relevant Czech and EU legislation. Chapter Four is concerned with the guarantees of fundamental rights within on-site inspections. This chapter comprehensively describes and analyses relevant decisional practice of the European Court of Human Rights, Czech and EU courts, in which those courts...
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Protection of competition - block exemptions
Šafaříková, Barbora ; Horáček, Vít (advisor) ; Pelikán, Robert (referee)
PROTECTION OF COMPETITION - BLOCK EXEMPTIONS The main purpose of my thesis is to describe and analyze one aspect of a block exemption regulation for vertical agreements, namely resale price maintenance. The thesis is composed of six parts, one of them dealing with block exemptions in general and the rest of them focusing on resale price maintenance. Chapter one introduces the topic of block exemptions and explains the features of block exemptions that are common to all of them. Chapter two presents the definition of resale price maintenance and describes the difference between fixed, minimum, maximum and recommended prices. Chapter three describes economic theories, which have influence on legal treatment of resale price maintenance. The chapter is divided into three subchapters, whereas the first one explicates pro-competitive effects of resale price maintenance, the second one focuses on its anticompetitive effects and the third one summarizes the economic theories of impact of resale price maintenance. Chapter four examines the legal framework of resale price maintenance in European law. Firstly, it describes the treatment of fixed, minimum, recommended and maximum prices. Then it analyzes resale price maintenance as an object restriction and examines possible exemption under Article 101 (1) of...
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Patent, protection of originality or limitation of the competition ?
Kodad, Jiří ; Dobřichovský, Tomáš (advisor) ; Pítra, Vladimír (referee)
This master's thesis deals mainly with the interface between patent law and competition law. The main objective is to provide the reader with a complex patent law overview and explanation of basic concepts related to intellectual property law, with a pivotal focus on patent law. In order to do so, author examines how national legislation contained primarily in Act no. 527/1990 Coll., On Inventions and Rationalization Proposals, as amended works and then analyzes Paris Convention and other treaties, which still remain to be the cornerstone of the international law. After introduction to a patent protection there are examined three of the most significant patent systems in the world - European Union, United States of America and Japan and their respective approaches to patent protection. In addition to exploring limits of a patent rights protection, there are explained doctrines relating to intellectual property rights, with closer attention to patents. Another objective of the work is the analysis of patent law's interface with the competition law. As part of this examination there is paid attention mainly to the abuse of a dominant position through the exercise of patent rights, essential facilities doctrine and FRAND licensing. In conclusion, the author tries to critically assess what the current problems...
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Information exchange among competitors with a focus on trade associations
Stoláriková, Monika ; Šmejkal, Václav (advisor) ; Svoboda, Pavel (referee)
The subject matter of the present diploma thesis is an exchange of information as an individual cartel behavior. It focuses on processes and operations that are performed within the frame of activities of trade associations. It should, first, be noted that in most cases, the exchange of information is an absolutely legal way how to make qualified and successful decisions on the transparent market. However, under particular conditions, it may represent a danger in the form of violation of competition law. Such violation can present particularly an exchange of information that removes uncertainty in market relationships and enables companies to foresee behavior of other competitors. The primary objective of this thesis is to complexly describe an attitude that evolved in the interpretation and application practice of the European Commission, or as the case may be of the European courts. On the base of theoretical findings and analysis, the thesis defines criteria that are applied when assessing exchange of information and determines the border between the legal and illegal exchange of information among competitors in the actual law of the European Union. So far as the content is concerned, the thesis is divided into five separate chapters. The first one provides a general definition of the exchange of...
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Private Enforcement of European Union Antitrust Law
Mačát, Jiří ; Svoboda, Pavel (advisor) ; Šmejkal, Václav (referee)
This thesis deals with the competition law of the European Union, namely with the private consequences of cartel agreements (as defined in Article 101, paragraph 1, TFEU) and with their enforcement. It understands its subject widely and therefore it is not concerned only with private consequences and their enforcement but it also analyses the nature of prohibition and voidness of such agreements on the basis of a causal relationship between these legal concepts and respective consequences. Furthermore, it describes the private enforcement of EU competition law (which is legal instrument to enforce claims that emerge from private law consequences) not only from the perspective of its topic but also in terms of its relationship to the public enforcement. It also deals with the interaction between these enforcement systems. Chapter 2 of the thesis provides a basic introduction to the topic of cartel agreements governed by the EU law. It describes prohibition of these agreements under Article 101 paragraph 1 TFEU and deals with their voidness under paragraph 2 ibid. It concentrates on the later because of the considerable uncertainties about its nature in terms of interpretation of its legislation, absoluteness and possibility to severe void provisions from the rest. Chapter 3 covers the consequences of...
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The economic analysis of law in case-law
Hubková, Pavlína ; Kühn, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Tryzna, Jan (referee)
OF THE DIPLOMA THESIS The Economic Analysis of Law in Case-Law Pavlína Hubková According Richard Posner, "economics is a powerful tool for analyzing a vast range of legal questions but most lawyers have difficulty connecting economic principles to concrete legal problems." This diploma thesis focuses on the clash between law and economics and on those difficulties lawyers may have when applying economic analysis of law. It tries to identify borders between two fields of study and problems or obstacles which are faced by judges. In concrete, the thesis deals with the economic analysis of law in the domain of competition law. The thesis is divided into a theoretical part and an empirical part. The theoretical part includes four chapters. The first chapter characterizes the economic analysis of law in general, it provides with a short history of this approach to law, opinions of its proponents as well as critics and a summary of utility of economics in law. The second chapter then refers specifically to the role of economic analysis in judicial decision-making. Competition law as an "explicitly economic field" is presented in the third chapter. The core of the thesis is to be found in the next chapter which focuses on the problems and obstacles which judges have to face and potentially overcome when...
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An Impact of the Leniency Program and the Institution of Settlement upon the Civil Enforcement of Competition Law
Knebel, Petr ; Šmejkal, Václav (advisor) ; Svoboda, Pavel (referee)
Impact of the Leniency Program and the Institution of Settlement upon the Civil Enforcement of Competition Law Keywords: competition law, leniency program, private enforcement of competition law The purpose of this thesis is to assess the mutual interference between the private and public enforcement of competition law. In the public enforcement there is growing trend of using modern tools such as leniency programme or settlement decisions. These are based on the cooperation between competition authorities and undertakings. On the other hand such cooperation and very often disclosure of confidential information by undertakings may threaten their position in terms of potential civil law suits by consumers or business partners. It is often claimed that private and public enforcement are complementary but when it comes to these modern tools a clear conflict arises. The thesis consists of two following two chapters. First chapter describes the evolution of private enforcement of competition law within EU. From its underdeveloped beginnings ten years ago it started to attract attention. European Commission has recently published a proposal of a directive which should foster the private enforcement within EU. Second half of the first chapter describes the development of new modern tools within the public...
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