Portfolio 35-3rd: Antitrust Guide for International Business Activities

I. Introduction

II. Antitrust and Competition Law Applicable to U.S. Foreign Trade
A. Relevant Antitrust and Competition Law
1. United States
2. European Union and European Economic Area
3. National laws of European Union and European Economic Area member states
4. Canada
5. Japan
6. Mexico
7. China
8. Evolution of laws prohibiting international cartels
a. Growth of antitrust law
b. Enforcement Techniques
(1). Pressure for corporate antitrust compliance programs
(2). Leniency and/or amnesty programs
(3). International cooperation agreements and practice
B. Enforcement Limitations
1. Jurisdictional reach
2. Forum non conveniens and comity
3. Special defenses
a. United States
(1). Act of state
(2). Foreign compulsion
(3). Sovereign immunity
(4). Noerr-Pennington
b. European Union
(1). Act of state
(2). Foreign compulsion
C. Registration Requirements and Related Procedural Features
1. Exemptions
2. Opposition procedure
3. Negative clearance
4. Comfort letters

III. Concerted Pricing Practices
A. Horizontal Restraints
B. Vertical Restraints—Resale Price Maintenance

IV. Single-Firm Pricing Practices
A. Low Pricing
B. High Pricing
C. Price Discrimination
D. Other Abuses of a Dominant Position
E. Differing Substantive and Remedial Approaches to Abuse of a Dominant Position: U.S. and EU

V. Distribution Restraints
A. Agreements Concerning Goods and Services
1. Exclusive selling
2. Exclusive dealing
3. Tying arrangements
4. Selective distribution
B. Refusal to Sell
C. Licensing Agreements
1. United States
2. European Union
3. Germany
4. Japan
5. GATT/WTO and technology licensing

VI. Merger Control
. Introductory Material
A. Merger Control Laws and Their Scope
1. Governing statutes in the United States
2. Governing statutes in the EU
3. Jurisdictional tests
B. Merger Analysis
1. Types of mergers
2. Merits analysis
a. Horizontal mergers
b. Vertical mergers
c. Conglomerate mergers
3. Special defenses
C. Conflicts Arising from Merger Review in Multiple Markets
D. Harmonization and Coordination