Competition

Introduction

An effective competition provides the consumers a large choice of goods and services of high quality at competitive prices, and tends to promote technical progress.

The competition authority is responsible to promote and safeguard the existence of an active competition in Belgium.

The Belgian Competition Authority consists of two components:

• the Directorate-General for competition,
• the Competition Council which consist of:
  • the council,
  • the College of Competition Prosecutors,
  • the registry.

Powers of the Belgian Competition Authority

The authority has the power to apply:

• national law pursuant to the Act on the Protection of Economic Competition, consolidated September 15^th, 2006 ( APEC)
• community competition law such as articles 101 and 102 of the TFEU

It is part of the European Competition Network (ECN).

On the other hand it has no power with regard to:

• unfair competition,
• practices opposed to fair trade customs.

Examples:

• sell at a loss,
• bargains,
• public auctions,
• comparative publicity,
• remote agreements.

More about Competition

• The Belgian Competition Authority 
• Restrictive practices 
• Concentrations