Call for Papers: The Competition Law Scholars Forum (CLaSF) and Centre for European Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge - The Fundamentals of Competition Law at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom on 16 April 2020

Call for Papers

The Competition Law Scholars Forum (CLaSF) and Centre for European Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge

invite contributions to a workshop on

 

The Fundamentals of Competition Law

 

at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom on 16 April 2020.

 

The Competition Law Scholars Forum (CLaSF) will be running its XXXIV workshop on 16 April 2020, at the Centre for European Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge. The workshop is on the broad theme of “The fundamentals of competition law.” We invite abstract paper proposals from researchers, scholars, practitioners and policy-makers in relation to any issue within this broad theme. We welcome theoretical, economics-driven, practice-based or policy-focused papers, and we are interested in receiving abstracts for papers which may be focused on perspectives or experience at national, regional (eg EU), or international levels, or a combination.

 

The aim of the workshop is to discuss fundamental concepts that we rely on in competition law. We are seeking to examine issues in competition law, long since considered settled, that are currently being or ought to be re-examined. For example, though we proscribe certain “agreements” or “concerted practices” do we still have faith in our understanding of what it means to “agree” or “concert” and how these concepts are distinct from “independent action” in an increasingly connected and inter-connected world? Though we have a method of assessment that varies depending on whether we are seeking to identify a restriction “by object” or “by effect” are we sure of what is meant? Is the “rule of reason”, long a staple of competition law discussion, dead? If so, have all the concerns that were advanced by that doctrine died with it? Or have they been relocated or re-emerged elsewhere? Dominance now dominates—but what is dominance, how does it manifest itself, and does our conception of “abuse” capture new modes of exercising “dominance”? Though looking at how firms conduct themselves in the “market”, are our techniques for identifying a “market” sufficiently attuned to address modern day concerns? Have we agreed that consumer welfare is our mission and do we have a shared conception of consumer welfare? We have long thought of consumers as capable—now we hear of the vulnerable consumer. How does the substantive law and enforcement practice respond to this changed perception of the supposed beneficiary of competition law?

 

The Workshop will consist of a mix of invited speakers and contributions chosen following this call for papers. Any person interested in being considered on the basis of the call for papers at the workshop is asked to contact Professor Barry Rodger at [email protected]. An abstract is required of approximately 500-1,000 words, to be submitted by no later than February 3 2020, and decisions on successful submissions will be taken by February 17 2020. Submission of presentation/draft paper is also required a week prior to the workshop.

 

Papers presented at the conference can be submitted to the Competition Law Review editorial board with a view to being published in the Review. Note that the Review is a fully refereed scholarly law journal: submission does not guarantee publication.