Competition Law - Bachelor

Undergraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

The aim of this course is to introduce students to EU/EEA Competition law and public procurement law. The central subjects in this course are 1) TFEU art. 101 containing the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted practices, 2) TFEU art 102 containing the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position, 3) the rules on enforcement and sanctions (mainly found in EU regulation 1/2003).

The Course also aims to provide the students with an understanding of how the competition rules, mainly aimed towards private parties, also may affect the Member States of the EU/EEA.

By the end of the course, students should have good knowledge of substantial EU/EEA competition law regarding anti-competitive agreements and abuse of a dominant position. In addition, students will have knowledge on provisions regulating the enforcement the EU/EEA competition rules.

The course will give the students a fundamental understanding of terms, problems and basic principles and legal concepts used in EU/EEA Competition Law. This will also give the students the same understanding of national competition law, as those often are harmonized with EU/EEA Competition Law. The students will hence learn about a specific part of EU/EEA Substantial law which is also an integral part of national law.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

By the end of the course the students shall be able to

  • Describe the concept of Undertaking in EU and EEA competition law
  • Describe and explain the concepts of agreements, concerted practices and decisions by associations of undertakings in article 101 TFEU and article 53 EEA.
  • Describe and explain when agreements or other forms of collaborations restrict competition, in particular when they have as their object to restrict competition.
  • Explain when anti-competitive agreements may fulfill the conditions in article 101(3) TFEU and article 53(3) EEA and are exempted from the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements, and additionally be able to discuss whether agreements contributing to public policy goals - such as sustainability - should be exempted from the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements.
  • Describe and explain the concept of a dominant position in Article 102 TFEU/Article 54 EEA
  • Describe and explain what type of conducts which may amount to an abuse of a dominant position.

Skills

By the end of the course the students shall be able to

  • Apply the prohibition of anti-competitive agreements in Article 101 TFEU/Article 53 EEA on a simplified case.
  • Apply the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position in Article 102 TFEU/Article 54 EEA on a simplified case.
  • Explain the goals of competition law.

General Competence

The students shall achieve the competence to

  • Apply EU and EEA case law to interpret and apply the competition provisions in EU/EEA law
  • Communicate and discuss competition law issues with national and EU-based lawyers.

ECTS Credits

10 ECTS

Level of Study

Bachelor

Semester of Instruction

Autumn

Place of Instruction

Faculty of Law, University of Bergen
Required Previous Knowledge
Two years of law studies.
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Good level of English language.
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap

Combined with JUS258-2-B Competition Law or JUS3509 Competition Law this course will generate no new credits.

This course combines well with

JUS2301/JUS3501 Free Movement under EU and EEA Market Law

JUS2315/JUS3515 EU and EEA public procurement law

JUS2302/JUS3502 EU and EEA State Aid Law

JUS330-A EEA moot court

Access to the Course

The course is available for the following students:

  • Admitted to the integrated master programme in law
  • Exchange students at the Faculty of Law

The pre-requirements may still limit certain students¿ access to the course

Teaching and learning methods
Lectures and seminars.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
None
Forms of Assessment

Four-hour digital school exam.

Information about digital examination can be found here: www.uib.no/en/student/125772/preparing-digital-exams

Exam language:

  • Question paper: English
  • Answer paper: English
Grading Scale
A - E for passed, F for failed.
Assessment Semester
Autumn
Reading List
The reading list will be ready 1 July for the autumn semester.
Course Evaluation
According to the administrative arrangements for course evaluation at the Faculty of Law
Examination Support Material

See section 3-5 of the Supplementary Regulations for Studies at the Faculty of Law at the University of Bergen.

Relevant legislation for the exam will be provided by the Faculty of Law as part of the exam.

Special regulations about dictionaries:

  • According to the Regulations for Studies, one dictionary is permitted support material during the examination. Bilingual dictionaries containing for example both Norwegian-English and English-Norwegian are considered as one dictionary.
  • Bilingual dictionaries to/from the same two languages - for example Norwegian-English/English-Norwegian - in two different volumes are also considered as one dictionary (irrespective of publisher or edition).
  • Dictionaries as described above cannot be combined with any other types of dictionaries.
  • Any kind of combination which makes up more than two physical volumes is forbidden.
  • In case a student has a special need for any other combination than the above mentioned, such combination has to be clarified with/approved by the course coordinator minimum two weeks before the exam. Students who have not been granted permission to have a special combination minimum two weeks before the exam will be subject to the usual regulations (Section 3-5) about examination support materials.
Programme Committee
The Academic Affairs Committee (Studieutvalget) at the Faculty of Law is responsible for ensuring the material content, structure and quality of the course.¿
Course Coordinator
Professor Ronny Gjendemsjø
Course Administrator
The Faculty of Law¿s section for students and academic affairs (Studieseksjonen) is responsible for administering the programme.