Webinar Synopsis: The Impact of COVID-19 on Competition in the Air Transport Sector
Urs Haegler joined speakers from DG COMP, EU Travel Tech and Reed Smith to discuss antitrust in the aviation sector in a webinar organized by Concurrences.
Tag: COVID-19
Antitrust and Competition Challenges in the Energy and Utilities Sector
Antón Garcia discusses the key trends and issues shaping the energy and utilities sector, the likely effects of economic volatility stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent trends in oil prices, and advises companies on how to evaluate and mitigate the competition and antitrust risks in a Q&A with Financier Worldwide.
Managing Antitrust Risks Amid COVID-19
Expert economists Jorge Padilla, David Sevy, Lorenzo Coppi, Rameet Sangha, and Urs Haegler of Compass Lexecon advise firms on how to manage the antitrust risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in a special feature for Financier Worldwide.
Expert Opinion: State aid in response to COVID-19 and implications for competition
Read the Expert Opinion written by Urs Haegler, Senior Vice President, Compass Lexecon and Georges Siotis, Consultant, Compass Lexecon and Associate Professor, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Excessive Pricing and COVID-19: Is Article 102 Europe’s Price-Gouging Law?
Is Article 102 Europe’s Price-Gouging Law? In a recent webinar, John Davies argued that Article 102’s excessive pricing provisions are unlikely to be useful to competition authorities during the COVID-19 crisis. The regulatory powers of States may be more effective against abusive prices in the health sector.
State Aid in the Context of COVID-19
The economic impact of COVID-19 has differed across EU Member States, as some States are able to exploit the European Commission’s Temporary Framework for State aid more easily than others that are limited by their fiscal position. Georges Siotis highlights the variances in policy responses to the crisis and considers whether the scale of public intervention is sustainable in the longer term.
The Implications of COVID-19 for Competition Policy and Economic Growth
Jorge Padilla and Nicolas Petit highlight that recessions often have a pro-competitive “cleansing” effect. They can facilitate the exit of inefficient firms that crowd out growth opportunities for more efficient competitors, and delay the diffusion of technological innovation. A case might thus be made that the current recession is an opportunity for growth and regeneration of the EU economy.