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ARTICLE · 25 APRIL 2018

Abuse Of Dominance Concerning Online Platforms

A&O Shearman
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Large online platforms such as Amazon, Facebook and Google have a strong presence in Europe. Although general competition law principles apply to them, cases concerning online platforms ...

United StatesAntitrust/Competition Law
A&O Shearman
A&O Shearman
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Large online platforms such as Amazon, Facebook and Google have a strong presence in Europe. Although general competition law principles apply to them, cases concerning  online platforms give rise to a lot of novel questions in respect of the application of Article 102 of the Treaty onthe Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) compared to  traditional ‘analog’ markets. Among others, questions arise as to the definition of online platforms for the purpose of antitrust enforcement, the definition of the relevant market and the assessment of market power. Despite these uncertainties in the competitive assessment, competition authorities at both European and national level are increasingly focusing on online platforms. 

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