Competition Policy and Property Rights
John Vickers
Abstract
One of the most controversial questions in current competition policy is when, if ever, should competition law require a firm with market power to share its property, notably intellectual property, with its rivals? And if supply is required, on what terms? These questions are discussed with reference to recent law cases including the EC Microsoft judgment of 2007 and the US linkLine case of 2009. The analysis focuses on whether competition law and regulation are complements or substitutes, and on incentives for investment and (sequential) innovation.
Keywords: Property rights, Refusal to supply, Price squeeze, Intellectual property, Sequential innovation, Antitrust
Date: May 2009 | Reference number(s): 436
Series: Department of Economics Discussion Paper Series
JEL Classifications: K21, L41, O31, O34