p. 52013. Horizontal agreements (1): cartels
- Richard WhishRichard WhishEmeritus Professor of Law at King’s College London
- and David BaileyDavid BaileyVisiting Professor of Law at King’s College London
Abstract
This chapter is concerned with the prohibition of cartels, also referred to as ‘hard-core’ horizontal agreements. The chapter begins with a discussion of the widespread consensus among competition authorities worldwide that cartels should be condemned, and gives examples of recent enforcement that has led to the imposition of significant fines and sentences of imprisonment. It also looks at the European Commission’s enforcement activity in relation to cartels. The chapter then considers the application of Article 101 to particular types of cartels: price fixing, market sharing, production quotas and other hard-core cartel practices. The final section of the chapter looks at anti-cartel enforcement and judicial practice in the UK.
