Costs Benchmarks as Criterion for Evaluation of Predatory Pricing Cover Image

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Costs Benchmarks as Criterion for Evaluation of Predatory Pricing

Author(s): Ana Novosad, Raimundas Moisejevas, Virginijus Bitė
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence
Published by: Mykolas Romeris University
Keywords: abuse of dominant position; predatory pricing; average variable costs; average avoidable costs; average total costs and long run average incremental costs

Summary/Abstract: Predatory pricing is one of the forms of the abuse of a dominant position. Judicial institutions of the European Union and Commission during analysis of predatory pricing devote main attention to the relationship between costs and prices of the dominant undertaking. Moreover, attention is paid also to various cost benchmarks: average variable costs, average avoidable costs, average total costs and long run average incremental costs. European judicial institutions should pay less attention to the costs of a dominant undertaking than to evaluation of the effect of the actions of a dominant undertaking to consumers and competition in the market. Moreover, proposition of the Commission to use average avoidable costs in predation cases does not correspond to the practice of the Court of Justice and the General Court. The Commission should stipulate more clearly how average avoidable costs and long-run average incremental costs should be calculated in order to increase legal certainty of the undertakings. Establishment of prices higher than average total costs by the dominant undertaking should not be recognized as predatory pricing.

  • Issue Year: 19/2012
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 585-603
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: English