Ulrich Schwalbe – författare

Law and Economics in European Merger Control provides a thorough introduction to the economic theory underlying the regulation of mergers. The central economic concepts of efficiency and welfare are introduced and their role in the foundations of competition law is explained. Market structures of perfect competition, monopoly and oligopoly are analysed and the methods for delineating and evaluating the effects of mergers on markets are explained.Having examined the economic context, the book then proceeds to offer an exhaustive analysis of the application of economic theory in the practice of merger regulation in Europe. Through an analysis of more than 300 competition cases the book critiques the current state of EC competition law against its economic aims, and offers views for the future development of the law. It also sets out an account of the European Commission's search for a 'more economic approach' to competition law, and analyses the policy's successes and failures.

and should therefore constitute a part of every area of economic 3 theory. The spectrum covered by information economics today ranges from Stigler's search theory4 to industrial economics, including oligopoly theory, innovation, as well as research and develop­ 5 ment. However, the area information economics is most closely connected with is the theory of optimal contracts, mainly ana­ 6 lyzed in principal-agent models. Contract theory deals primar­ ily with the question of how optimal arrangements (contracts) for the purchase and sale of commodities and services between two or more agents should be structured. In these models, it is often assumed that the parties to the contract are informed differently or asymmetrically about relevant variables (e. g. the health of one party in the case of insurance contracts, or the effort in relation to employment contracts). As a result of this asymmetric in­ formation, phenomena such as moral hazard, adverse selection, signaling, and screening may arise. Frequently, results from con­ tract theory are referred to when making statements about the effects of asymmetric information on an economy. Models of this kind are often used to explain phenomena such as fixed wages or unemployment, among others. 7 However, such conclusions must be treated with caution for two reasons. In the first place, in these models, a contract (explicit or implicit) is determined by the solution of an optimization prob­ lem.

and should therefore constitute a part of every area of economic 3 theory. The spectrum covered by information economics today ranges from Stigler''s search theory4 to industrial economics, including oligopoly theory, innovation, as well as research and develop­ 5 ment. However, the area information economics is most closely connected with is the theory of optimal contracts, mainly ana­ 6 lyzed in principal-agent models. Contract theory deals primar­ ily with the question of how optimal arrangements (contracts) for the purchase and sale of commodities and services between two or more agents should be structured. In these models, it is often assumed that the parties to the contract are informed differently or asymmetrically about relevant variables (e. g. the health of one party in the case of insurance contracts, or the effort in relation to employment contracts). As a result of this asymmetric in­ formation, phenomena such as moral hazard, adverse selection, signaling, and screening may arise. Frequently, results from con­ tract theory are referred to when making statements about the effects of asymmetric information on an economy. Models of this kind are often used to explain phenomena such as fixed wages or unemployment, among others. 7 However, such conclusions must be treated with caution for two reasons. In the first place, in these models, a contract (explicit or implicit) is determined by the solution of an optimization prob­ lem.

In den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten ist die zunehmende "Ökonomisierung" – d.h. die Heranziehung moderner wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Methoden und Konzepte bei der konkreten Anwendung und darüber hinaus bei der Weiterentwicklung des Kartellrechts – eines der beherrschenden Themen dieses Rechtsgebietes geworden. Das vorliegende Werk analysiert diese Entwicklung in systematischer Weise und nimmt zu wichtigen Fragen der zunehmenden Berücksichtigung wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse im Wettbewerbsrecht Stellung.Ein Schwerpunkt der 3. Auflage liegt bei der Behandlung der in der Digitalwirtschaft bestehenden Wettbewerbsprobleme. Für die Neuauflage haben die Autoren die Entscheidungspraxis der Europäischen Kommission und des Bundeskartellamtes, des EuG, EuGH, OLG Düsseldorf (als Beschwerdeinstanz nach Entscheidungen des Bundeskartellamtes) und des Bundesgerichtshofs umfassend ausgewertet.

In den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten ist die zunehmende "Ökonomisierung" – d.h. die Heranziehung moderner wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Methoden und Konzepte bei der konkreten Anwendung und darüber hinaus bei der Weiterentwicklung des Kartellrechts – eines der beherrschenden Themen dieses Rechtsgebietes geworden. Das vorliegende Werk analysiert diese Entwicklung in systematischer Weise und nimmt zu wichtigen Fragen der zunehmenden Berücksichtigung wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse im Wettbewerbsrecht Stellung.Ein Schwerpunkt der 3. Auflage liegt bei der Behandlung der in der Digitalwirtschaft bestehenden Wettbewerbsprobleme. Für die Neuauflage haben die Autoren die Entscheidungspraxis der Europäischen Kommission und des Bundeskartellamtes, des EuG, EuGH, OLG Düsseldorf (als Beschwerdeinstanz nach Entscheidungen des Bundeskartellamtes) und des Bundesgerichtshofs umfassend ausgewertet.