The latest English-language book of István Csongor NAGY associate professor, head of the Private International Law Department, the “EU and US Competition Law: Divided in Unity? - The Rule on Restrictive Agreements and Vertical Intra-brand Restraints” released by the British Ashgate Publishing, examines one of the most actualal and controversial issues of contemporary antitrust and competition law and regulatory policy, the topic of restrictive agreements regarding to the vertical intra-brand pricing and territorial restrictions comparing the regulations of the U.S. and the EU.

This book examines the structure of the rule on restrictive agreements in the context of vertical intra-brand price and territorial restraints, analysing, comparing and evaluating their treatment in US antitrust and EU competition law. It examines the concept of 'agreement' as the threshold question of the rule on restrictive agreements, the structure and focus of antitrust/competition law analysis, the treatment of vertical intra-brand price and territorial restrictions and their place in the test of antitrust/competition law.

The treatment of vertical intra-brand restraints is one of the most controversial issues of contemporary competition law and policy, and there are substantial differences between the world's two leading regimes in this regard. In the US, resale price fixing merits an effects-analysis, while in the EU it is prohibited almost outright. Likewise, territorial protection is treated laxly in the US, while in the EU absolute territorial protection - due to the single market imperative - is strictly prohibited.

Using a novel approach of legal analysis, this book will be of interest to academics and scholars of business and commercial law, international and comparative law.

Reviews:  ‘The book demonstrates that, as a result of recent changes in US law, not followed in the EU, there is now a significant difference in the treatment of vertical restraints between the two jurisdictions. The author thoroughly documents these differences and discusses how they accord with modern economic analysis.’

George A. Hay, Cornell Law School, USA

‘Through a minute and contextual analysis of the application of the relevant rules on vertical restraints in the US and the EU, Csongor Nagy makes a unique contribution to comparative competition law and very competently helps practitioners to avoid the pitfalls of false friends.’

Jules Stuyck, KU Leuven, Belgium and the Central European University, Hungary

Details of the book:

Title: EU and US Competition Law: Divided in Unity? - The Rule on Restrictive Agreements and Vertical Intra-brand Restraints

Author: István Csongor NAGY associate professor, head of the Department of Private International Law, University of Szeged

Publishing house: Ashgate Publishing

Release: January 2013.

Extent: 234 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4094-4230-1

Source: the webpage of Ashgate Publishing