Competition law (known as antitrust law in the US) seeks to maintain the integrity of the marketplace by prohibiting anti-competitive practices and by subjecting corporate mergers and acquisitions to regulatory review if they have the potential to significantly reduce competition.
Historically, competition law developed and evolved almost exclusively within the jurisdictional boundaries of individual nation-states. More recently, the growing influence of multinational business enterprises has led to a corresponding increase in bilateral and regional cooperation among national competition authorities.
This guide focuses on researching competition law in jurisdictions outside the US, on comparing competition law and practice in two or more jurisdictions, and on efforts to coordinate and harmonize the enforcement of competition law across multiple jurisdictions. For coverage of U.S. antitrust law research, see our Antitrust Law Research Guide.
Key Resources for International & Foreign Competition Law
- Kluwer Competition Law
This online platform includes both primary law content (mainly from the US, the EU, and EU member states) and secondary source materials (e-books, journal articles, and blog commentary) related to competition law. Allows searching by keyword and browsing by policy area, content type, time period, and jurisdiction. To apply filters before running a search, click on sliders button to the left of the search box.
- Lexology Panoramic
This multijurisdictional resource offers in-depth, practitioner-written summaries of national laws that govern cartel regulation, merger control, state aid, and other aspects of competition law using a question-and-answer format. Begin by selecting a “work area” (practice area) from the menu, then select a jurisdiction or use the comparison tool to compare laws across multiple jurisdictions. Jurisdictional coverage varies by work area.
- Westlaw: Global Competition & Antitrust
Dedicated page for accessing competition law legislation, regulatory decisions, and case law from selected foreign jurisdictions (Australia, the EU, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UK). It also includes treatises on international merger control, competition law in Australia, China, and the EU, and practitioner-oriented journals and newsletters.
