This Glossary is based on definitions from DG COMP’s Glossary of terms used in EU competition policy (© European Union, 2002) and the OECD’s Glossary of industrial organisation economics and competition law (© OECD, 1993). Each term is enriched with references of EU and national case laws from the e-Competitions Bulletin and Concurrences Review.

Non-competition clause

Contractual clause bringing about a direct or indirect obligation causing the parties to an acquisition agreement, or at least one of them, not to manufacture, purchase, sell or resell independently goods or services which compete with the contract goods or services. Such an obligation on the seller of the assets guarantees that the acquirer receives the full value of the assets transferred and hence is normally considered as ancillary to the main agreement. © European Commission

Related EU and national case law

Dominique Ferré Abusive breach: The Paris Court of Appeal recalls the stakes and consequences of the breach of the commercial agency contract (Cafpi)

18 July 2018

Par une décision rendue le 18 juillet 2018, la Cour d’appel de Paris rappelle les enjeux et conséquences de la rupture du contrat d’agence commerciale. Sa solution mérite d’être rapportée car elle permet de dresser un état des lieux des questions fondamentales en la matière. Après avoir rappelé la (...)

Dominique Ferré Jurisdiction clause: The Riom Court of Appeal recalls that a commercial agent, in its capacity of civil trustee, cannot be subject to a jurisdiction clause derogating to territorial rules of jurisdiction

25 April 2018

À la suite de la cessation des relations entretenues avec son mandant, un agent commercial avait assigné ce dernier, auquel il réclamait le paiement d’une indemnité compensatrice du préjudice subi du fait de la rupture, sur le fondement de l’article L. 134-12 C. com.. En défense, le mandant avait (...)

Aymeric Louvet Commercial agent: The Orléans and Paris Courts of Appeals regulate the non-competition clause of commercial agents (SNGS, Top Alliance)

15 March 2018

L’imputabilité et les conséquences financières attachées à la rupture du contrat d’agent commercial nourrissent le contentieux. La période qui suit cette rupture est elle aussi particulièrement sensible, raison pour laquelle les mandants négocient fréquemment en amont une obligation de non-concurrence (...)

Clara García Fernández, Miguel Troncoso Ferrer, Sara Moya Izquierdo The Spanish Competition Authority fines ten courier and parcel companies for participating in a customer-allocation cartel (Mensajeria y paqueteria empresarial)

8 March 2018

The Spanish Competition Authority (“CNMC”) has fined ten courier and parcel companies EUR 68 million for participating in a customer-allocation cartel, namely, Correos Express, UPS, TNT, DHL, Touline, RedySer, FEDEX, ICS and MBE. The CNMC has found that some of the companies entered into oral (...)

Valérie Durand Franchise agreements: The Paris Court of Appeal confirms the sanction of the violation of a non-competition clause during the execution of franchise agreements (Paul service)

7 March 2018

La société Holder (franchiseur) exploite le réseau de franchise de boulangeries portant l’enseigne Paul. Les 6 avril et 11 décembre 2006, elle conclut deux contrats de franchise avec la société Coupaul. Ces contrats portent sur l’exploitation respectivement d’un fonds de commerce de boulangerie possédé (...)

Tim Kasten The EU Court of Justice dismisses the appeal against a judgment upholding the fine against two undertakings for a non-compete agreement in the telecom sector (Telefonica)

13 December 2017

On 13 December 2017, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“ECJ”) dismissed the appeal lodged by telecommunication operator Telefónica against the General Court’s (“GC”) judgment largely upholding a 2013 Commission decision, which imposed a fine on Telefónica for agreeing not to compete with (...)

Anne-Sophie Choné-Grimaldi Territorial market sharing: The Court of justice confirms that a contractual provision organizing a territorial non-compete agreement constitutes an anticompetitive agreement, irrespective of the caveat “to the extent permissible by law”, inserted therein (Telefonica)

13 December 2017

Rappelons pour mémoire que, dans un arrêt rendu le 28 juin 2016, le Tribunal de l’UE condamnait la société Telefonica pour l’insertion d’une clause de non-concurrence dans le contrat de cession portant sur le contrôle de l’opérateur de téléphonie brésilien Vivo, conclu entre l’opérateur espagnol (...)

Nicolas Ferrier Transfer of client base: The Paris Court of Appeal cancels the post-contractual non-compete clause provided in a franchise agreement because of its incompatibility with the franchisor’s agreement to transfer its clients to the franchisee (Eclade, Esole, Main Street, Erwan Flatres, Cle Anglaise, Success Story, Success Story le Mans / Bernard et Nicolas Soinne, Educational Programs Master France)

13 December 2017

L’arrêt sous commentaire est curieux, tant par la situation qui en est l’argument que par la solution qu’il paraît consacrer. La situation résultait de deux accords conclus entre un “master franchisé” et certains franchisés du réseau qu’il avait créé. Le premier était un accord de franchise comportant (...)

European Competition Network Brief The Swedish Patent and Market Court upholds decision by Stockholm District Court that excessively long non-compete clauses in share purchase agreements do not constitute infringement of competition rules by object (Alfa Quality Moving)

29 November 2017

Non-compete clauses included in share purchase agreements for a period of five years do not constitute an infringement of competition rules by object* On the 29th of November, the Swedish Patent and Market Court of appeal ruled that anti-competitive clauses included in share purchase (...)

Man Mohan Sharma The Indian Competition Authority issues Guidance note on “non-compete” clauses

12 July 2017

CCI Issues Guidance note on “Non-compete” clause: An Overview* Introduction “Non-compete” obligations are frequently incorporated in M & A transactions to facilitate the effective implementation of a proposed combination. Non-compete obligations enable the Acquirer to secure complete benefit (...)

Jean-Louis Fourgoux Transparency: The French Supreme Court decides that transparency within a franchise network - including under the negotiating mandate - does not allow franchisees to access to commercial terms with all suppliers (Ploneour / Bricorama)

8 June 2017

Dans cette espèce, un ancien franchisé du réseau Bricorama a quitté le réseau pour rejoindre celui de Weldom. Dans le cadre du litige qui est né avec Bricorama à la suite de son départ, cet ancien franchisé a réclamé à Bricorama le versement de remises de fin d’année et des documents justifiant des (...)

Alain Ronzano Abuse of dominant position: The French Competition Authority decides there is no ground to pursue the procedure relating to practices in the sector of B2B and B2C removals (Demeco)

15 May 2017

Le 23 mai 2017, l’Autorité de la concurrence a mis en ligne une décision n° 17-D-07 du 15 mai 2017 relative à des pratiques mises en œuvre dans le secteur du déménagement de particuliers et du transfert d’entreprises. Cette affaire fait suite à la saisine par deux sociétés de l’Autorité de la (...)

Dominique Ferré Non-compete clause: The French Supreme Court refuses the application of non-compete clauses inserted in commercial agency contracts since the parties did not respect rules established by the French Commercial Code and the caselaw. (La Vie au bord de la mer / Le Comptoir Saint Louis e.a. et Cafpi)

11 May 2017

Dans une première affaire, une clause de non-concurrence stipulée dans un contrat d’agence commerciale interdisait au gérant de la société d’agence commerciale d’accepter la représentation d’une entreprise concurrente “dans les villes dans lesquelles il s’est déplacé pour des missions au cours du (…) (...)

Mary-Claude Mitchell Sudden termination: The French Supreme Court assesses the sudden termination of commercial relationship of the parties as expressed in their agreement (Établissements Jean X / Massey Ferguson)

11 May 2017

La décision commentée est l’occasion, pour la Haute juridiction, de revenir sur les modalités de rupture d’un contrat de distribution. Elle rappelle ici l’importance des termes contractuels et de la volonté commune des parties dans l’organisation de la rupture des relations commerciales et du préavis. (...)

Nicolas Ereseo Selective distribution : The Paris Court of Appeal considers that a distributor early breaching its agreement to sell competitive products violates a non-compete obligation limited to the duration of the contract, notwithstanding the effective commercialisation and its duration after the end of the relationship (Needle Concept)

8 March 2017

Une société ayant breveté une aiguille médicale souple en confie la distribution exclusive à un partenaire au titre d’un contrat conclu le 27 septembre 2009 pour une durée de trois ans renouvelables par tacite reconduction. Se plaignant, d’une part, de l’existence de nombreux produits concurrents sur (...)

Jean-Louis Fourgoux Scope of the clause: The French Supreme Court considers that a non-compete clause only seeking the initial territory given to a commercial agent is not applicable if this territory was modified three times without contract amendment (Cafpi)

1 March 2017

La Cour de cassation considère qu’une clause de non concurrence qui vise uniquement le territoire initialement confié à un agent commercial n’est pas applicable si ce territoire a été modifié trois fois sans avenant. Moralité soit il s’agit d’une résurgence de la notion de cause dans le contrat soit plus (...)

Valérie Durand Non-compete: The French Supreme Court reiterates the need to investigate if the non competitive clause was respected by the transferor of a business (Un jour à Paris / Le Manège)

11 January 2017

Etait en cause la portée de l’engagement pris par le cédant dans le cadre d’une obligation de non-concurrence souscrite lors de la cession du fonds de commerce. À la suite de la cession, le cessionnaire – la société Un jour à Paris – constate l’ouverture d’un commerce similaire dans un local contigu à (...)

Robert E. Connolly The US DoJ and FTC issue joint guidance on employee wage-fixing and non-poaching agreements

20 October 2016

DOJ and FTC Release Guidance on Antitrust Law and Employee Hiring and Compensation*In a press release issued on October 20, 2016, the Antitrust Division and the FTC issued antitrust guidance for human resource (HR) professionals and others who are involved in hiring and compensation decisions. (...)

Anne-Cécile Martin Commercial agency : The French Supreme Court restates that social law is applicable to non-employee managers of retail food branches (Distribution Casino France)

5 October 2016

Le cogérant d’une supérette avait assigné en indemnisation le distributeur auquel il reprochait, d’une part, d’avoir abusivement rompu son contrat de cogérance et d’avoir manqué à son obligation de reclassement et, d’autre part, de ne pas lui avoir versé de contrepartie financière au titre de la clause de (...)

Valérie Durand Non-compete clause: The French Supreme Court holds that the non-compete clause in a non-employee management contract must provide for a financial consideration otherwise the clause would be void (Distribution Casino France)

5 October 2016

L’articulation des règles spéciales entre elles et plus particulièrement, des règles du droit commun du travail et des règles spéciales applicables aux gérants non-salariés de succursale de commerce de détail alimentaire – telles qu’elles sont prévues aux articles L. 7322-1 et suivants du Code du travail – (...)

Jean-Christophe Roda United States : Antitrust Agencies issue Guidance to Human Ressources Professionals regarding the Employment Marketplace

1 October 2016

En octobre 2016, le Department of Justice et la Federal Trade Commission ont publié des lignes directrices intitulées “Antitrust Guidance for Human Ressources Professionals”. Comme son intitulé l’indique, il s’agit d’un document qui s’adresse aux professionnels du secteur des ressources humaines et qui (...)

Didier Ferrier Post-contract non compete clause: The French Supreme Court recalls the scope of a post-contractual non compete clause of a franchisee which must be justified by its geographic scope (Ucar / A2L)

1 September 2016

Il ne suffit pas au franchiseur, pour justifier la stipulation d’une clause de non-concurrence à effet post-contractuel ayant une large assiette territoriale (six départements), de mettre en avant l’existence d’un savoir-faire substantiel formalisé dans un manuel fourni à la conclusion du contrat et (...)

Valérie Durand Non-compete clauses: The CEPC holds that a non-compete clause may be not in accordance with contract law, the law of restrictive practices and the law of unfair practices

1 September 2016

La Commission d’examen des pratiques commerciales a été saisie d’une demande d’avis concernant la conformité au droit d’une clause de non-concurrence insérée dans des contrats conclus entre une société de réservation hôtelière et des établissements hôteliers. La clause litigieuse stipule que “l’hôtelier (...)

Richard Burton The EU General Court endorses strict approach to ancillary restraints (Portugal Telecom and Telefónica)

28 June 2016

Portugal Telecom and Telefonica cases – Non-compete clauses: General Court endorses strict approach to ancillary restraints Non-compete clauses are standard practice in the context of the acquisition of a business to protect a purchaser’s investment. They guarantee the transfer to the purchaser (...)

Anne-Sophie Choné-Grimaldi Geographic allocation of market: The General Court of the European Union confirms the illegality of a geographic allocation clause contained in a sale deal between two telecoms operators, but reverses the Commission decision with respect to the determination of the fine (Portugal Telecom SGPS and Telefónica)

28 June 2016

Les deux arrêts rendus le 28 juin 2016 relatifs aux marchés espagnols et portugais des télécommunications concernent une clause de non-concurrence qui a été insérée dans un accord conclu entre les deux opérateurs de télécommunication principaux en Espagne (Telefonica) et au Portugal (Portugal Telecom, (...)

Alain Ronzano Non-compete clause: The French Commission on commercial practices publishes an opinion relating to a clause imposed to hotels by a booking platform

12 May 2016

Le 26 mai 2016, la Commission d’examen des pratiques commerciales a mis en ligne un avis n° 16-9 rendu le 12 mai 2016 relatif à une demande d’avis d’un groupement d’intérêt public sur la validité d’une clause de non concurrence insérée dans les contrats conclus avec les établissements hôteliers par une (...)

Alain Ronzano Clearance: The French Supreme Administrative Court confirms the French NCA’s decision relating to the acquisition of a commercial centre in Bayonne from a real estate company by a leading retailer (Unibail/Carrefour)

17 February 2016

Le 17 février 2016, le Conseil d’État est venu confirmer la décision n° 14-DCC-164 du 13 novembre 2014, en tant que celle-ci porte sur le rachat de la galerie commerciale Bab 2 située à Bayonne, à la faveur de laquelle l’Autorité de la concurrence a autorisé le rachat par le groupe Carrefour d’un (...)

Jean-Louis Fourgoux Non-competition clauses: The French Supreme Court approves the trial court to have considered that a franchisor could change the sign of its network without abuse and require the execution of a non-competition clause yet not covered by the exemption regulation (vertical agreements), but proportionate to the franchisor’s interest in preserving the existing network (International Esthétique)

19 January 2016

La société International Esthétique exploitait un réseau de franchise sous l’enseigne Epil center. Les contrats contenaient une clause de non-création de réseau concurrent à effet post-contractuel. En cours de contrat, le franchiseur avait substitué son enseigne par Esthetic center. Le franchisé avait (...)

Valérie Durand Non-compete clause: The French Supreme Court approves the trial judges for condemning the transferor and the company in which he pursues an activity in violation of the non-compete clause inserted in the share transfer agreement (M. X… et PBES / MM. Y… et Z… )

6 October 2015

L’insertion d’une clause de non-concurrence dans le contrat de cession de parts sociales peut s’avérer particulièrement utile. Tout d’abord la clause de non-concurrence permet d’éviter, à tout le moins en partie, le débat relatif à l’existence d’une obligation de non-concurrence mise à la charge du cédant (...)

Didier Ferrier Franchise: The Courts of Appeal of Bourges and Paris are vigilant in considering the expertise of the franchisor and scope of non-competition obligations of the franchisee (Qualité service propreté / France restauration rapide ; Ploneour loisir / Bricorama )

10 September 2015

Les engagements de non-concurrence post-contractuelle ont été sérieusement mis à mal par la loi du 6 août 2015 (c. com., art. L. 341-2) qui les répute non écrits dans les accords de réseau, sauf s’ils répondent aux conditions fixées par le droit européen pour protéger le savoir-faire qui aurait été (...)

US Competition Authority The US FTC subjects to public comment the consent agreement proposed by two pharmaceutical companies that implemented an unlawful agreement not to compete (Concordia and Par)

18 August 2015

Pharmaceutical companies settle ftc charges of an illegal agreement not to compete, which resulted in higher prices for generic version of ADHD drug* Pharmaceutical companies Concordia Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. have settled FTC charges that they entered into an unlawful (...)

Bradford McCormick, Joseph Tato, Paolo S. Boado, Paul P. Chen The Philippine Congress passes the Competition Act that aims to safeguard fair and competitive market conditions

21 July 2015

The Philippine Congress has passed, and President Benigno Aquino III is expected to sign into law, the Philippine Competition Act. The law, which aims to safeguard fair and competitive market conditions, marks the nation’s first foray into antitrust legislation. Under the new law, practices (...)

Amadeu Ribeiro, Lauro Celidonio, Marcio Dias Soares The Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense issues guidelines on gun jumping

20 May 2015

On May 20, 2015, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (“CADE”) issued guidelines on gun jumping (“Guidelines”). These Guidelines are not binding on parties involved in transactions that require antitrust approval in Brazil, but they serve as an important guidance for companies and (...)

Ramona Livera The Cyprus Competition Authority fines two undertakings for an anticompetitive agreement in the telecommunication sector (CYTA / Forthnet)

13 May 2015

Facts of the case The present case concerns an ex officio investigation regarding an agreement between CYTA and Forthnet aimed at (a) the indirect price fixing and exchange of sensitive information relating to their future commercial policy, (b) the effect of limiting production or markets or (...)

Valérie Durand Non-competition clause : The French Judiciary Supreme Court holds that the reduction in the financial compensation provided by the parties in case of breach of work agreement shall be deemed unwritten (M. X./Fidecompta)

9 April 2015

L’exigence de contrepartie pécuniaire à l’engagement de non-concurrence est, en droit du travail, au cœur d’un contentieux nourri. Affirmant toute la spécificité du droit du travail, la Cour de cassation a érigé cette exigence en condition de validité de la clause de non-concurrence (v. not. Cass. soc., (...)

German Competition Authority The German Competition Authority prohibits the operator of factory outlet center to use radius clauses, equivalent to non-compete clauses, in its lease contracts if these extend beyond a 50 km air radius and a term of five years (VR Franconia)

3 March 2015

Bundeskartellamt prohibits non-compete clauses imposed on tenants in factory outlet center* The Bundeskartellamt has prohibited the operator of Wertheim Village Factory Outlet Center, VR Franconia GmbH, from using so-called radius clauses in its lease contracts with brand product manufacturers (...)

Nicolas Ereseo Commercial agents : The French Supreme Court confirms that the validity of a post-contractual non-competition clause imposed on the commercial agent is not conditioned by a financial counterpart in favour of the latter (CFG Patrimoine, ACT Patrimoine)

10 February 2015

Cass. com., 10 fév. 2015, CFG Patrimoine c/ ACT Patrimoine, n° 13-25667 La clause de non-concurrence post contractuelle mise à la charge d’un agent commercial est soumise au respect de l’article L. 134-14 du code de commerce qui prévoit qu’elle “doit être établie par écrit et concerner le secteur (...)

Romanian Competition Authority The Romanian Competition Council imposes fines, for the first time, on several undertakings for failure to comply with their antitrust remedies in the mobile phone market (Avenir Telecom, Euronet Services companies and the Professional Football League)

24 January 2015

For the first time: The Competition Council applies sanctions for failure to comply with the commitments* The Competition Council has sanctioned Avenir Telecom and Euronet Services companies and the Professional Football League (LPF) with fines totalling 705,079 lei (approx. 156,340 euros) for (...)

Richard Burton The European Court of Justice provides further guidance on long-term exclusive purchase and non-compete obligations (Estación de Servicio Pozuelo v Galp Energía España)

4 December 2014

On 4 December 2014, the European Court of Justice (the “ECJ”) issued an order addressing two preliminary questions from the Spanish Supreme Court concerning an exclusive purchase obligation, which presumably prevented the party bound by the exclusivity from purchasing the products of competing (...)

Alain Ronzano Clearance: The French Competition Authority clears the takeover by a leading retailer of six commercial galleries linked to its supermakets (Carrefour/Unibail-Rodamco)

13 November 2014

La décision n° 14-DCC-164 du 13 novembre 2014 concerne le rachat par le groupe Carrefour d’un portefeuille de six galeries commerciales auprès la société Unibail-Rodamco, lesquelles galeries commerciales sont adossées à des hypermarchés sous enseigne Carrefour détenus par le groupe Carrefour, étant (...)

Hungarian Competition Authority The Hungarian Competition Authority imposes fines on four regional publishers for having implemented an anticompetitive agreement aiming to share markets in the county-wide daily newspapers market (Axel Springer)

20 October 2014

Regional publishers shared the market of county-wide daily newspapers* The Hungarian Competition Authority (Gazdasági Versenyhivatal – GVH) established that Axel Springer Magyarország Kft. (Axel Springer, its new name: Mediaworks Kft.), Russmedia Kft. (Russmedia, its former name: Inform Média), (...)

Anne-Cécile Martin Franchise : The French Supreme Cour rules on the terms of assessment of the disproportionality of non-competition engagement and post-contractual non-affiliation (France restauration rapide / Qualité service propreté, Carrefour et CSF / Segurel)

23 September 2014

Cass. com., 23 septembre 2014, France restauration rapide c/ Qualité service propreté, pourvoi n° 13-20.454 Cass. com., 23 septembre 2014, Carrefour et CSF c/ Francap et Ségurel, pourvoi n° 13-22.624 Deux affaires méritent d’être signalées s’agissant des conditions d’appréciation de la proportionnalité (...)

Blanche de La Mure, Dominique Ferré Non-competition clause : The French Supreme Court confirms the invalidity of a disproportional post-contractual non-competition clause (Blue Line & Bro)

23 September 2014

Un agent commercial ayant été embauché par une société concurrente de celle de son ancien mandant se voyait reprocher par ce dernier la violation de l’engagement de non-concurrence post-contractuelle lui interdisant d’“exercer la même activité professionnelle pendant deux ans à compter de la rupture”. (...)

Carole Maczkovics The EU Commission decides not to oppose the creation of a full function joint venture (Thalys)

19 September 2014

In September 2014, the European Commission (EC) decided not to oppose the creation by SNCF and SNCB of a full function joint venture, Thalys JV. The EC deemed the concentration to be compatible with the internal market. The decision was made available in French in December. As of 1 January (...)

Nicolas Ereseo Franchise : The French Supreme Court approves of an appellate court having declared null and void non-compete obligations in the food distribution sector (Carrefour, Champion)

16 September 2014

Le franchiseur qui souhaite protéger l’intégrité de son réseau en stipulant des clauses d’approvisionnement exclusif ou de non-réaffiliation doit s’assurer de disposer d’un savoir-faire suffisamment consistant pour justifier l’existence de telles restrictions de concurrence. Dans le secteur alimentaire, (...)

Ankur Kapoor The US FTC files a complaint before the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania asserting that reverse payments do not have to be cash or monetary in order to violate antitrust laws (AbbVie)

8 September 2014

Regulators Prescribing Higher Dose Of Pharmaceutical Antitrust Enforcement* Antitrust enforcers returned to their offices after Labor Day, refreshed and ready to tackle what they view to be anticompetitive practices by pharmaceutical companies to delay entry of lower-priced generic drugs. In (...)

Robert E. Connolly The US District Court for the Northern District of California rejects the $324.5 million settlement in the class action following the DOJ civil lawsuit for a per se violation (High-tech wage collusion)

8 August 2014

The Unusual Hi-Tech Hiring Collusion Case: Judge Rejects Proposed Settlement; DOJ Brought Civil “Per Se” Cases* Last Friday Judge Lucy H. Koh issued an unusual ruling in a somewhat unusual case. The ruling was unusual in that the court rejected a proposed settlement in the hi-tech wage (...)

Martine Behar-Touchais Online sale: The French Competition Authority opens an in-depth enquiry on selective distribution agreements containing a prohibition to sell the contract products through marketplaces (Concurrence)

23 July 2014

La société Concurrence est au droit de la concurrence ce que les époux Patino sont au droit international privé : un apporteur d’affaires, et un aiguillon, car dans l’abondance des questions posées par cet opérateur, il en est souvent au moins une de pertinente. En l’occurrence, la société (...)

Swedish Competition Authority The Swedish Competition Authority brings proceedings against companies in the removal business for non-compete agreements (Alfa Quality Moving / NFB Transport Systems / ICM Kungsholms)

14 July 2014

The Swedish Competition Authority brings action against companies in the removal business for anticompetitive agreements* The Swedish Competition Authority has petitioned that three companies in the removal business are sentenced to pay a total of SEK 42 million in fines since they have agreed (...)

Valérie Durand Inadmissibility : The French Supreme Court approves judges having declared an unfair competition action inadmissible due to the defendant’s lack of standing (Florian Mantione Institut)

8 July 2014

Dans le cadre de l’exploitation de son enseigne, un gérant conclut un contrat de sous-traitance avec une société de Conseil. Ce contrat comporte une clause de non-concurrence visant la réalisation de certaines missions de recrutement. L’échéance du contrat arrivée, une relation contractuelle analogue à (...)

Glossary

A

Absolute territorial protection • Abuse of a dominant position • Abuse of economic dependance • Abusing pricing • Access to essential facility • Access to information • Access to the Commission’s file • Act of State • Agency agreement • Agreement • Amicus curiae • Ancillary restraints • Annulment • Anticompetitive objet or effect • Anticompetitive practices • Arbitration • Association of undertakings

B

Below-cost resale price • Bid rigging • Block exemption (regulation) • Boycott • Brand competition • Burden of proof • Business secrets • Buyer power

C

Cartel • Case referral system (mergers) • Change of control • Clearance phase I (merger) • Clearance phase II (merger) • Collecting society • Collective dominance • Collective redress (class action) • Commitments (or remedies) • Competence • Complaint • Compression des prix • Compulsory license • Concerted practice • Concession • Concurrent jurisdiction • Consumers protection • Consumers’ associations • Cooperation between NCAs • Copyright • Cross subsidisation

D

Damages • De minimis notice • Direct effect • Discriminatory practices • Distribution agreement • Dominance (notion) • Dominant position

E

ECHR • Economic analysis • Economic efficiency • Effect on competition • Effect on interstate trade • Effect on trade between member states • Effective judicial protection • Effet sur la concurrence • Entry barriers • Environment protection • Essential facility • European Competition Network • Excess prices • Exchange of information • Exclusive distribution • Exclusive purchasing agreement • Exclusive right • Exclusive right (Art. 106 TFEU) • Exhaustion • Extra-territoriality

F

Failing firm defence • Fine • Fine mitigating • Franchising

G

Geographic market • Gun jumping

H

Hard core restrictions

I

Individual exemption • Intellectual property right (IPR) • Interim measures • International competition network (ICN) • Investigations

J

Joint control • Joint venture

L

Legal privilege • Leniency (programme) • Licensing • Low prices

M

Margin squeeze • Market • Market power • Market share • Merger • Merger (withdrawal) • Merger remedies

N

Ne bis in idem • Non-competition clause • Notification • Notion of control • Nullity

O

Oligopoly

P

Parallel imports (parallel trade) • Pay-for-delay • Periodic penalty payment • Predatory pricing • Price discrimination • Price regulation • Price squeeze • Price-fixing agreement • Private enforcement • Privatisation • Procedural autonomy • Prohibition (mergers) • Public undertaking

R

Refusal to deal/sell • Regulated prices • Relevant market • Remedies (antitrust) • Request for information • Resale price maintenance (RPM) • Rule of reason

S

Sector inquiry • Selective distribution • Services of general economic interest • Single branding • Sole control • Spill-over effects • Standard-essential patent • State action defense • State aid • State intervention • State measure

T

Transfer pricing • Trustee • Turnover threshold • Tying or tied selling

U

Undertaking • Universal service

V

Vertical agreement • Vertical restraints (or restrictions)