Prospectus

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Markets and Competition Policy

Course
2022-2023

Admission requirements

N/A

Description

In economics several potential causes of market failure are distinguished: externalities, collective goods, imperfect competition and information asymmetries. This course is mainly concerned with one of these causes of market failure: imperfect competition. An important question is whether competition in the marketplace is restricted in such a way that it reduces economic welfare. To answer this question a number of concepts are required: the definition of the market, market power, abuse of dominance, horizontal agreements, vertical restraints, horizontal and non-horizontal mergers. Competition policy may contribute to economic welfare by preventing anticompetitive behaviour.

This course is focused on the economic analysis of European competition policy. After discussing economic theory, the theory is used to analyse cases (especially: decisions of the European Commission in competition cases).

Course objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Explain the content of economic concepts needed to analyse markets.

  • Analyse the consequences of restrictive practices and mergers.

  • Assess the consequences of competition policy in terms of efficiency.

Timetable

On the Public Administration front page of the Prospectus you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.

Mode of instruction

The course consists of interactive seminars. Attendance and active participation is compulsory.

  • Total course load 140 hours

  • Hours spent on attending seminars 21

  • Time for studying compulsory literature and completing assignments 119

Assessment method

Grading will be based on a final written assignment (100%). Attendance and active participation in the seminars is required. Students have to hand in weekly assignments before the start of the seminar. Each assignment not received in time, will result in a reduction of 0.3 point from the final score.

Partial grades are only valid in the current academic year; partial grades will not remain valid after the exam and the resit of the course.

Reading list

To be announced, see Brightspace.

Registration

Register yourself via MyStudymap for each course, workgroup and exam (not all courses have workgroups and/or exams). Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses and workgroups have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Registration for this elective is possible via MyStudymap from t.b.a.
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.

After registration for an exam you still need to confirm your attendance via MyStudymap. If you do not confirm, you will ultimately be de-registered and you will not be allowed to take the exam.
More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.

Please note: guest-/contract-/exchange students do not register via MyStudymap but via uSis. Guest-/contract-/exchange students also do not have to confirm their participation for exams via MyStudymap.

Contact

Dr. P.W. van Wijck p.w.vanwijck@law.leidenuniv.nl

Remarks