Competition law and environmental protection in Europe. Towards sustainability?

Abstract:

This book explores the requirements of Article 6 of the EC Treaty, and the extent to which the integration of environmental concerns and EC competition law has moved beyond the simply legalistic stage towards a symbiotic relationship.

The work is organised in three parts. Part one examines the prospect of competition working for the environment and the role of the integration principle in this respect. It considers how competition might be incorporated into environmental policy and endeavours to present a model of integration. Part two examines the role of environmental concerns in EC competition law, and considers whether that role is in accordance with the model developed in part one. The study encompasses the whole of EC competition law which is examined to ascertain the role played by environmental concerns. Part three looks at the findings of parts one and two and presents a comparative legal analysis which seeks to evaluate the model for integration as well as the findings with regard to the application of the model in practice. It identifies three factors relative to the model for integration that are typical and decisive in EC competition law and environmental protection. The work closes with some signposts as to the way forward, for which the goal must be to establish 'competition for the environment'.

The work will interest scholars, students, practitioners and petitioners in the fields of environmental protection and competition law.

Hans Vedder is a lecturer in the Department of European and Economic Law at the University of Groningen.