Originally Published by Global Competition Review
French cartel regulation is no longer only based on sanctions
but also on a dialogue that allows more pragmatism and weakens the
structure of anti-competitive practices. The successful
implementation of all the components of the French leniency
programme has made the French competition authority tend to become
a regulator, and this role will be further enhanced through the new
competition authority.
A new more powerful authority
Regarding cartels, the principal competition authority with
responsibility for enforcement is since 2 March 2009 the
Competition Authority (the Autorité). It replaced the former
Competition Council (the Conseil) pursuant to the Law on the
Modernisation of the Economy (LME) of 4 August 2008. The
Autorité is an independent administrative authority
responsible for the analysis and regulation of competition in the
French market under the relevant provisions of French and EU
competition law.
