Valentine Korah
University of London
United Kingdom
1 contribution
61 visits
I contributed a very favourable review of volume I in World Competition, vol 36, issue 4 and ran out of superlatives when writing of Bill’s career and the many diverse and important contributions made by him, his friends and colleagues for the sensible development of competition law and practice in many jurisdictions including both developed and developing countries. To reduce duplication this review of the second volume will be short. It is slightly longer than Volume I: thirty seven the most prominent and interesting authors, some lawyers and others economists, have analysed in depth twenty seven of the most stimulating current issues for competition policy. Part I, entitled “The International Dimension of Competition Policy,” starts with 9 pages of Bill’s bibliography and the many diverse interests about which he has written and spoken. It includes twelve articles that provide dynamic and perceptive views of the various issues on international policy. At p. 149. Bruno Lassarre, head of the French Competition Authority, focusses on the challenges and successes of the European Competition Network which he has done so much to influence and make effective. Jacques Steenberger, President of the Belgian Competition Authority, who formerly practised as an eminent lawyer and professor specialising in competition Law and Policy, reflects on the legitimacy, accountability and independence of competition authorities, while Wouter Wills, recently appointed hearing officer after a career in the European Commission and its Legal Service gives a retrospective analysis of Regulation 1/2003 ten years after its adoption. Part II, entitled “Complexity of Antitrust Around the World”, includes fifteen slightly longer essays. Since 1992 Kovacic has served as an advisor on antitrust and consumer protection for 17 countries and has been is Vice Chairman the of the International Competition Network. This has enabled the contributors to Part II to explain how and why they may agree or disagree with him and with each other. Both parts of the two volumes are lucid and deeply analytical. Some relate to theory or philosophy, others to substantive or procedural issues. All are perceptive and enable us to see how far discussions between Bill and his friends at numerous conferences and lectures have developed over the decades and the extent to which Bill and his admirers have affected the development of competition thinking throughout the world. Th e analysis is profpundl and must surely lead to further developments in many jurisdictions. Bill is one of the most thoughtful and lucid speakers on competition policy. The book is well timed with publication just when so many countries, both developed and developing, have adopted or strengthened their powers to protect competition and countries with a long history of intervening in markets are rethinking their policies. It should be read, thought about and enjoyed by any one with influence over competition policy, not only legislators, teachers and writers, but also judges and officials in competition authorities
