Call for papers: Competition Law Challenges (30. 5. 2024)

Competition Law Challenges 2024

Call for papers

Association of Competition Law and Regulation, in cooperation with the Department of European Law of the Faculty of Law of Charles University in Prague and Antitrust: Competition Law Review, organizes the first annual academic conference entitled "Competition Law Challenges" in Prague on 30 May 2024.

Conference theme

Both European and Czech competition law are currently addressing fundamental questions about their future direction. According to some opinions, recent and ongoing cases that reflect current social and technological developments point to the need of adaptation of traditional concepts and paradigms of competition law and, in some respects, even the need to fundamentally reform competition law and its enforcement. Others, on the other hand, believe that even in the light of new challenges, competition law shows its ability to adapt to the needs of the contemporary world. However, the majority agrees that at least some "re-calibration" is needed, or rather that it is already taking place. Current challenges also include the following two areas of topics.

The relationship between regulation and competition law

The extent of legal regulation of various sectors and areas of activity by the EU and individual member states has an increasing tendency. This also increases the number of points of contact between the competition rules and other (whether supplementary or independent) regulation. At the same time, competition authorities show a growing appetite for interventions in regulated industries. What should be the optimal relationship between competition law and sectoral or other regulation? Which areas are most susceptible to possible tendencies of modifying established competition law paradigms?

Competition law and economics

The (r)evolution of the so-called more economic approach in EU competition law began two decades ago. However, the position of competition economics in the analysis of competition authorities is still not fully clarified, and in recent years there have been more frequent voices, for example, against the more economic approach and in favour of a departure from the so-called consumer welfare standard. What should be the role of competition economics in the coming years? What could be the effect of a possible departure from existing economic approaches to the enforcement of competition law?

Conditions of active participation

Those interested in active participation will submit extended abstracts (3,000 – 6,000 characters) of their contributions relating to the above-described conference topic in Czech, Slovak or English language by 15 March 2024. Each of the submitted contributions will be anonymously evaluated by members of the conference's expert council. For these purposes, we ask the authors to send two versions of the texts – a full and an anonymized version. Please send extended abstracts to e-mail vyzvysouteznihoprava@outlook.com.

Authors will be informed by 15 April 2024 about the (non)acceptance of their contributions for presentation at the conference. Full versions of accepted contributions must be submitted within 4 weeks after the conference (i.e. by 27 June 2024). Authors will have the opportunity to submit their contributions to the review process for Acta Universitatis periodicals Carolinae Iuridica (AUCI), Antitrust: Competition Law Review or Prague Law Working Papers Series. As part of the review process in these journals, the evaluation of the contributions by the expert council of the conference will be taken into account.

Costs

Authors of papers accepted for presentation will be exempt from the registration fee. Travel and accommodation costs will not be covered.

If you have any questions, please contact the organizers at vyvysouteznihoprava@outlook.com.

Registration form HERE