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Title:»Hub and spoke« sporazumi v konkurenčnem pravu EU – odgovornost vertikalnega udeleženca
Authors:ID Pogorevc, David (Author)
ID Repas, Martina (Mentor) More about this mentor... New window
Files:.pdf MAG_Pogorevc_David_2016.pdf (933,01 KB)
MD5: 4FE7A19B98D9BED2A91E927D43853D76
 
Language:Slovenian
Work type:Master's thesis
Typology:2.09 - Master's Thesis
Organization:PF - Faculty of Law
Abstract:V okviru gospodarskega nastopanja na trgu poteka med udeleženci tekmovanje, v katerem skušajo v okviru svoje poslovne politike doseči določene poslovne cilje, pri čemer pa jih do njih ovirajo konkurenti. V kolikor tekmovanje oz. konkurenca poteka po pravilih in izhaja iz načela dobre vere in poštenja, potem na trgu obstoji neizkrivljena konkurenca, na podlagi katere pridobivajo vsi, tako konkurenčna podjetja med seboj, saj je edino merilo za njihov uspeh njihova inovativnost in iznajdljivost, kakor tudi potrošniki, ki žanjejo sadove inovativnosti in iznajdljivosti podjetij. Vendar pa, na žalost, idealne konkurence ni, saj se med udeleženci na trgu, podobno kot doping v športu, vedno najdejo načini, kako izigrati konkurenta ali potrošnika na način, da bo poslovni cilj dosežen z najmanj potrebnega vložka, s čimer prihaja na strani kršiteljev pravil konkurence do neutemeljenega dobička, ki je pridobljen na škodo tistih, ki na trgu delujejo v skladu s pravili. V nalogi predstavljamo in analiziramo razsežnost problema »hub and spoke« sporazumov, tj. sporazumov, v katerem sodelujejo trije udeleženci, in sicer dva horizontalna udeleženca A in C ter vertikalni udeleženec B, preko katerega poteka sporazumevanje med dvema horizontalnima udeležencema. Takšni sporazumi so v teoriji poimenovani tudi kot A-B-C sporazumi. Za lažjo predstavo te kršitve konkurenčnega prava je potrebno pojasniti, da omenjeni izraz prihaja kot metafora kolesa, kjer je »hub« – pesto oz. os, na katerega je napeta napera oz. t. i. »špica« kolesa »spoke«, ki je povezan z obročem – »rim«, ki pa predstavlja skupni interes konkurentov na horizontalni ravni, in vertikalni udeleženec, kot pesto oz. os, predstavlja ključni povezovalni člen pri izvrševanju takšnega sporazuma. Hub and spoke sporazumi so analizirani skozi sodno prakso Velike Britanije in Severne Irske ter odločb njihovega organa za varstvo konkurence, sodno prakso ZDA ter sodno prakso EU. Podrobneje so predstavljeni problemi »hub and spoke« sporazumov v okviru njihove obravnave kot horizontalnih ali kot vertikalnih sporazumov oz. usklajenih ravnanj, njihove kršitve pravil konkurence, bodisi po cilju ali učinku, njihove tripartitne sestave ter s tem v zvezi podanimi objektivnimi in subjektivnimi pogoji za obstoj takšnih sporazumov. Pri tem se naloga posebej osredotoča na vprašanje odgovornosti vertikalnega udeleženca tega sporazuma, to je t. i. »hub-a«, ki predstavlja povezovalni člen med horizontalnima udeležencema takšnega sporazuma. Na podlagi opravljene primerjalne analize sodnih praks in uporabljene strokovne literature ugotavljamo, da »hub and spoke« sporazumi predstavljajo sporazume, ki imajo za cilj preprečevanje, omejevanje ali izkrivljanje konkurence in zato njihovih učinkov ni potrebno posebej ugotavljati. Prav tako je bilo ugotovljeno, da takšni sporazumi predstavljajo dejanske horizontalne sporazume, ki bi jih praksa morala kot takšne obravnavati, tudi z vidika okoliščin lažjega odkrivanja v okviru programov prizanesljivosti ter v okviru razlage člena 101(1) PDEU, ki se skozi sodno prakso razlaga po njegovem namenu oz. teleološki funkciji. Vloga vertikalnega udeleženca v teh sporazumih pa se kaže skozi njegovo zavestno sodelovanje pri posredovanju ključnih informacij med horizontalnima udeležencema, s čimer se posledice kršitev pravil konkurence tudi odražajo na trgu horizontalnih udeležencev.
Keywords:»hub and spoke« sporazum, vertikalni udeleženec, horizontalni udeleženec, tripartitni sporazum, kršitev konkurence
Place of publishing:Maribor
Publisher:[D. Pogorevc]
Year of publishing:2016
PID:20.500.12556/DKUM-61074 New window
UDC:339.13(043.2)
COBISS.SI-ID:5182507 New window
NUK URN:URN:SI:UM:DK:JKT2E0UC
Publication date in DKUM:15.09.2016
Views:1701
Downloads:224
Metadata:XML DC-XML DC-RDF
Categories:PF
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Secondary language

Language:English
Title:»Hub and Spoke« Agreements in EU Competition Law– Responsibility of Vertical Participant
Abstract:Competition runs among participants in the frame of economic appearance in the market where they all try to reach certain business targets supported by their business policy, however, in which they are hindered by their competitors. If competition runs in compliance with rules and is based on the principle of good faith and fairness then there is an undistorted competition existing in the market on the basis of which everybody is winning – the competitive companies, since the only criterion of their success are their innovation spirit and inventiveness, as well as the consumers who reap the fruits of companies' innovation and inventiveness. Unfortunately, there is no ideal competition since participants in the market – similar as doping in sport – always find a way how to outwit their competitors or consumers in a way which will help them reach their business target with a minimal input. This results in gaining unfounded profits on the side of those who violate competition rules since profit is gained to the damage of those who comply with market rules. This thesis represents and analyses all dimensions of the issue of »hub and spoke« agreements ie. agreements where three participants are involved, namely two horizontal participants A and C, and one vertical participant B through whom both horizontal participants communicate. Such agreements are in theory named also as A-B-C agreements. For easier representation of this violation of competition law it has to be explained that the term originates from a metaphor of a wheel where a »hub« is the hub and/or axle to which a wheel »spoke« is braced which is connected with a rim. That rim represents a common interest of competitors at the horizontal level. And the vertical participant as a hub or axle represents the key link in the execution of such agreement. The hub and spoke agreements are analysed through the case-law of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, through decisions adopted by their organ for competition protection, and through the case-law of the USA and the case-law of EU. The issue of »hub and spoke« agreements is represented in detail in the frame of their treatment as horizontal or as vertical agreements and/or concerted practice, their violation of competition rules, either by aim or by effect, their tripartite structure and in relation to this connected with the specifed objective and subjective conditions for the existence of such agreements. Here, the paper is focused in particular on the question of responsibility of the vertical participant from this agreement ie. »hub« who is a connecting link between both horizontal participants of such agreement. On the basis of a comparative analysis of case law and the applied law literature we find that »hub and spoke« agreements are aimed at preventing, limiting or distorting the competition and therefore their effects do not have to be separately established. It was also found that such agreements represent the actual horizontal agreements which should be dealt with as such in pratice, also from the aspect of circumstances for easier detection in the frame of leniency programmes and in the frame of explanation of Art. 101(1) PDEU which is explained through case law in relation to its aim or teleological function. The role of vertical participant in these agreements is shown through his conscious participation in providing the key information between both horizontal participants. In this way, the consequences of violations of competition rules are reflected also in the market of horizontal participants.
Keywords:»hub and spoke« agreement, vertical participant, horizontal participant, tripartite agreement, infringement of competition


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