Deutsche Telekom and Pacific Bell v. Linkline: Does Competition Law Have a Place in Regulated Industries?
REGULATING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH, M.A. Heldeweg and E. Kica, eds., London: Palgrave
14 Pages Posted: 9 Jun 2011 Last revised: 18 Jan 2014
Date Written: May 31, 2011
Abstract
This paper provides a positive and normative discussion of the role of competition law – and competition authorities – in fostering or hampering innovation in regulated industries, specifically the telecommunications industry. I combine an analysis of recent EU and American case law with a simple economic model of multi-agency regulation and its effects on innovation, as well as a discussion of the intentions of lawmakers when the current European regulatory system was last redesigned in 2002. While ideally the choices of lawmakers should reflect careful attention to the consequences of their decisions for innovation, the 2002 EU Telecommunications package appears to be highly problematic, in that it seems to give competition law a much greater role than my model would suggest is wise.
Keywords: Telecommunications, Regulation, Competition Law, EU Law
JEL Classification: D72, K42, L43, L51
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation