LIGNES DIRECTRICES SUR LA FIXATION DES AMENDES - ARTICLES 81 ET 82 CE - PREVISIBILITE DES AMENDES - THEORIE DES AMENDES OPTIMUM

The European Commission’s 2006 Guidelines on antitrust fines: A legal and economic analysis

KEYWORDS

La Commission européenne a publié le 1er septembre 2006 de nouvelles lignes directrices sur la méthode de fixation des amendes pour les entreprises ayant violé les règles de concurrence prévues aux articles 81 et 82 du Traité CE. L’auteur de cet article s’interroge sur le but de ces lignes directrices et sur le degré de prévisibilité que devrait revêtir le montant des amendes. Enfin, l’auteur analyse la méthode exposée dans ces nouvelles lignes directrices à la lumière de la pratique antérieure de la Commission, de la jurisprudence des juridictions communautaires et de la théorie des amendes optimum.

I. Summary of the Guidelines 1. On 1 September 2006, the European Commission published new Guidelines on the method it will use when setting fines to be imposed on undertakings for violations of the prohibitions on restrictive agreements and abuse of a dominant position laid down in Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty and Articles 53 and 54 of the EEA Agreement («the 2006 Guidelines», «the Guidelines» or «the new Guidelines»). [1] These new guidelines replace earlier guidelines dating from 1998 («the 1998 Guidelines»). [2] 2. The Guidelines set out a two-step methodology for the setting of fines. [3] First, the Commission will determine a basic amount for each undertaking. Second, it may adjust that basic amount upwards or downwards. 3. The basic amount will be set as a percentage of

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