magistrsko delo
Matic Nedog (Author), Martina Repas (Mentor)

Abstract

Naloga celovito obravnava obligacijskopravne in konkurenčnopravne vidike uporabe paritetnih klavzul. Slednje so analizirane tudi s primerjalnega vidika konkurenčnega prava EU in konkurenčnega prava ZDA. Po uvodnem delu so predstavljena pravnoteoretična izhodišča pravnoposlovnih paritetnih klavzul, različne pojavne oblike paritetnih klavzul in njihova sistematična razvrstitev. Klasifikacija različnih oblik paritetnih klavzul je ponazorjena tudi shematsko in s praktičnimi primeri posameznih oblik paritetnih klavzul. Paritetne klavzule so analizirane v ločenih poglavjih glede na logično razmejitev posameznih oblik paritetnih klavzul. V posameznih poglavjih so analizirani potencialni protikonkurenčni učinki uporabe določene oblike paritetnih klavzul ob upoštevanju relevantne sodne prakse, prakse organov za varstvo konkurence, pravnoteoretičnih stališč ter logičnih izpeljav. Iz analize potencialnih protikonkurenčnih učinkov uporabe paritetnih klavzul izhaja, da lahko njihova uporaba negativno vpliva na konkurenco predvsem v tržnih okoljih, kjer jih uporabljajo podjetja, ki imajo znatno tržno moč vsaj na eni stopnji distribucijske verige in/ali je uporaba (istih ali podobnih) paritetnih klavzul na istem upoštevnem trgu množično razširjena. V nasprotnih primerih, kadar so paritetne klavzule uporabljene na fragmentiranih trgih in/ali jih na istem upoštevnem trgu ne uporablja večje število podjetij, pa lahko tovrstne klavzule ustvarjajo nekatere pozitivne učinke na konkurenco, saj omogočajo večjo transparentnost cen in vzpodbujajo podjetja k medsebojeni (cenovni in necenovni) konkurenci, posledica česar so nižje cene blaga ali storitev za končne potrošnike. V tem smislu naloga analizira tudi potencialne prokonkurenčne učinke uporabe paritetnih klavzul, ki utegnejo odtehtati protikonkurenčne učinke. Iz obravnavanih primerov iz sodne prakse in prakse organov za varstvo konkurence je razvidno, da so paritetne klavzule običajno vsebovane v vertikalnih sporazumih, sklenjenih med podjetji, ki poslujejo na različnih stopnjah proizvodne ali distribucijske verige. Paritetne klavzule so torej potencialno omejevalna določila v vertikalnih sporazumih, za katere velja v konkurenčnem pravu EU poseben pravni režim. V nalogi je analiziran pravni okvir za presojo paritetnih klavzul kot vertikalnih omejitev na podlagi pravil konkurenčnega prava EU. V tej zvezi naloga obravnava temeljne vidike presoje paritetnih klavzul kot vertikalnih omejitev za izvzetje iz področja uporabe člena 101(1) PDEU na podlagi skupinske izjeme za vertikalne sporazume. Naloga se zaključuje z ugotovitvijo, da so podjetja v evropskem prostoru v pravni negotovosti glede veljavnosti dogovorov, ki vsebujejo paritetne klavzule, saj so le-te v konkruenčnem pravu EU urejene pomanjkljivo. Dodatno antinomijo na tem področju povzročajo posamezni nacionalni zakonodajalci s sprejetjem ad hoc predpisov, ki predvidevajo (absolutno) prepoved uporabe paritetnih klavzul na določenih gospodarskih področjih. V zaključku so predstavljeni pričakovani normativni ukrepi s strani Evropske komisije na področju paritetnih klavzul. V sklepnem delu so prav tako izpeljani ključni elementi za presojo paritetnih klavzul v skladu s pravili konkurenčnega prava EU.

Keywords

magistrska dela;

Data

Language: Slovenian
Year of publishing:
Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
Organization: UM PF - Faculty of Law
Publisher: [M. Nedog]
UDC: 339.13(043.3)
COBISS: 5321259 Link will open in a new window
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Other data

Secondary language: English
Secondary title: PARITY CLAUSE IN EU COMPETITION LAW
Secondary abstract: This master’s thesis explores the use of parity clauses in competition and obligation law. It uses a comparative approach to analyse the use of parity clauses in both EU and US competition law. After the introduction the thesis presents the legal bases behind legally binding parity clauses, various forms of such clauses in practice, and their systemic classification. This classification of the various forms of parity clauses is illustrated schematically and with practical examples. Parity clauses are logically analysed in separate chapters based on the demarcation of their various types. Individual chapters analyse the potential anti-competitive effects of employing particular forms of parity clauses, taking into account the relevant judicial practices, practices of competition protection authorities, legal bases, and logical extensions. This analysis shows that the use of parity clauses can have a negative effect on competition, especially in market conditions where they are used by companies with substantial market power in at least one link of the distribution chain, and/or where the use of parity clauses is rampant on the relevant market. In different cases, when parity clauses are used on fragmented markets, and/or are used in the same relevant market by a relatively small number of companies, these types of clauses can indeed lead to positive effects on competition, as they allow for greater price transparency and encourage companies to compete (both in terms of price and other aspects) among one another, which ultimately leads to lower prices of goods and services for end users. In this sense this thesis also investigates the potential of the pro-competitive effects of using parity clauses to outweigh their anti-competitive effects. The cases before courts and competition protection authorities that were studied indicate that parity clauses are usually included in vertical agreements concluded among companies that operate at various stages of the production or distribution chain. Parity clauses are therefore potentially restrictive provisions in vertical agreements that are subject to a special legal regime within EU competition law. This thesis further analyses the legal bases for considering parity clauses as vertical restrictions on the basis of EU competition law. In this context the thesis discusses the fundamental perspectives behind considering parity clauses as vertical restrictions for an exemption from the scope of Article 101(1) TFEU on the basis of the block exemption for vertical agreements. The thesis concludes with the finding that European companies are suffering from legal uncertainty regarding the validity of agreements that contain parity clauses, as there are lacunae in EU competition legislation concerning parity clauses. Additional antinomy is caused by individual national legislatures in the adoption of ad hoc regulations, which provide for an (absolute) prohibition on the use of parity clauses in certain sectors of the economy. The conclusion also presents the normative measures expected from the European Commission with regard to parity clauses. The final part of the thesis furthermore elaborates upon the crucial elements for assessing parity clauses in accordance with the rules of EU competition law.
Secondary keywords: Most favoured nation clause;most favoured customer clause;MFN-clause;parity clause;price relationship agreement;platform;two-sided markets;EU competition law;vertical agreements;vertical restrictions;
URN: URN:SI:UM:
Type (COBISS): Master's thesis/paper
Thesis comment: Univ. v Mariboru, Pravna fak.
Pages: IX, 105 str.
ID: 9238489