This indispensable Handbook examines both economic and legal aspects of competition policy and industrial organization. It provides a scholarly review of the state of the art regarding economic theory, empirical evidence and standards of legal evaluation. The book aims primarily at furthering our understanding of the interplay between economic reasoning and legal expertise by concentrating on the fundamental issues and principles underlying competition policy.

Following a comprehensive introduction, the authors investigate a number of important themes including:

• the natural limits of competition • efficiency versus market power • small firms, innovation and competition • trade policy and competition policy • financial services • the political economy of antitrust • dominance and monopolization • identifying anti-trust markets • competition policy versus regulation • competition policy in a globalized economy.

Each of the specially commissioned chapters, written by leading authorities in the field, provides a stimulating exploration of the intricacies of competition policy. The book will be accessible to a wide audience including students of economics and law, public administrators, lawyers, consultants and business managers. It will also be of particular interest to policymakers in EU accession countries who are required to introduce an appropriate legal framework to implement EU competition policy.