Consumer Involvement in Private EU Competition Law Enforcement

Informed by recent developments, this book provides an ail-inclusive account of consumer involvement in the competition law field. By alluding to the difficulties in adopting a final consumer welfare standard in the substantive enforcement of EU competition law, this book explores an alternative route by focussing predominantly on consumer participation in private competition law enforcement. The analysis is conducted at three levels. First, normative justifications for enhanced consumer participation are provided. These include the deterrence of competition law violations and catering for compensation to affected consumers (endemic/functional aims of private enforcement), as well as legitimising EU competition policy and contributing to consumers' empowerment (ancillary institutional benefits). Second, practical proposais in relation to remedial and procedural rules enabling consumer involvement are formulated. Third, and in so far as institutional and political limitations impede the adoption of effective measures in the field of private enforcement, alternative routes for consumer participation in public competition law enforcement are examined and proposais formulated. With its pragamatic accounts and clear structure and layout, this work provides a complete overview of a complex topic thereby aspiring to improve the rote of consumers in competition law enforcement. "For anyone who cares about consumers and competition this is a must-read. Ioannidou sets out clearly and cogently where European competition law is still failing consumers, and then makes practical and thoughtful proposais on how to move from the current rhetoric to real consumer participation and protection in competition law enforcement." Dr Philip Marsden, Deputy Chair, Competition and Markets Authority