Antitrust and International Competition

The European Union often uses its antitrust powers to protect EU-based firms from international competition, rather than to promote greater competition in European markets.

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Aghion
Philippe Aghion
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Allen
Franklin Allen
Imperial College London
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
I would say the evidence is mixed and I do not enough about it to draw a reasonable conclusion.
Antras
Pol Antras
Harvard
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Besley
Timothy J. Besley
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Blanchard
Olivier Blanchard
Peterson Institute
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Bloom
Nicholas Bloom
Stanford
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Blundell
Richard William Blundell
University College London
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Bénassy-Quéré
Agnès Bénassy-Quéré
Paris School of Economics
Strongly Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Many European firms have been targeted.
Carletti
Elena Carletti
Bocconi
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Danthine
Jean-Pierre Danthine
Paris School of Economics Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
De Grauwe
Paul De Grauwe
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Eeckhout
Jan Eeckhout
UPF Barcelona
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Fehr
Ernst Fehr
Universität Zurich Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Freixas
Xavier Freixas
Barcelona GSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Fuchs-Schündeln
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Galí
Jordi Galí
Barcelona GSE
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Garicano
Luis Garicano
LSE Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Giavazzi
Francesco Giavazzi
Bocconi
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
I'd like to see clear evidence for this statement, which I currently do not see
Griffith
Rachel Griffith
University of Manchester
Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Guerrieri
Veronica Guerrieri
Chicago Booth
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
This is a weak "agree". I think sometimes it does, but sometimes it does not. "Often" sounds a bit too strong to me.
Guiso
Luigi Guiso
Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Honohan
Patrick Honohan
Trinity College Dublin
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Kleven
Henrik Kleven
Princeton Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Krahnen
Jan Pieter Krahnen
Goethe University Frankfurt
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
A generalized answer to this question needs to be specify a particular industry. In banking I do not agree, in others I don't know enough.
Krusell
Per Krusell
Stockholm University
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
I don’t know.
Kőszegi
Botond Kőszegi
Central European University
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
La Ferrara
Eliana La Ferrara
Harvard Kennedy
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Leuz
Christian Leuz
Chicago Booth
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Little hard evidence to support protectionism for mergers or fines. Could be in other areas&we lack similar EU tech firms as counterfactuals
-see background information here
-see background information here
-see background information here
Meghir
Costas Meghir
Yale Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Neary
Peter Neary
Oxford
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Given the size of the European market, favouring EU-based firms need not be so costly, provided a robust approach is taken to market abuse.
O'Rourke
Kevin O'Rourke
Oxford
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Pagano
Marco Pagano
Università di Napoli Federico II
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Pastor
Lubos Pastor
Chicago Booth
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Persson
Torsten Persson
Stockholm University
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Pissarides
Christopher Pissarides
London School of Economics and Political Science Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Portes
Richard Portes
London Business School
Strongly Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
European competition policy focuses on market power (unlike US). No evidence of protectionist motives, quite the contrary.
Prendergast
Canice Prendergast
Chicago Booth
Agree
8
Bio/Vote History
Reichlin
Lucrezia Reichlin
London Business School Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Repullo
Rafael Repullo
CEMFI
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Rey
Hélène Rey
London Business School
Strongly Disagree
8
Bio/Vote History
Cases against tech giants have been very visible . Does not mean bias. DG comp has a very good record over the years.
Schoar
Antoinette Schoar
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Van Reenen
John Van Reenen
LSE
Strongly Disagree
9
Bio/Vote History
EU anti-trust policy similar to US, but enforced more vigorously
-see background information here
-see background information here
Vickers
John Vickers
Oxford Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Voth
Hans-Joachim Voth
University of Zurich
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
Weder di Mauro
Beatrice Weder di Mauro
The Graduate Institute, Geneva Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Whelan
Karl Whelan
University College Dublin
Strongly Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History
This is not my area of academic expertise but this is not my impression of how antitrust rules have operated in the EU.
Wyplosz
Charles Wyplosz
The Graduate Institute Geneva
Uncertain
2
Bio/Vote History
Anti-trust is pro-competition but its use can be distorted for protectionist aims.
Zilibotti
Fabrizio Zilibotti
Yale University
Disagree
7
Bio/Vote History