Course Overview

Looking for a way to level up your summer and explore the world of law? Our summer school course is designed to give you a solid grounding in EU and UK competition law while addressing the key challenges shaping the field today. This course will explore how competition law maintains fair markets, with a strong focus on modern issues like sustainability, privacy, and the impact of digital technologies. You’ll also dive into the frameworks that guide competition law enforcement, comparing EU and UK approaches with US systems.

Through in-depth analysis, you’ll uncover some of the most pressing issues facing competition authorities today, such as the regulation of digital markets, the sharing economy, and the challenges posed by sustainability initiatives. With real-world case studies and expert guidance, this course will equip you with the skills to understand, apply, and critique competition law, preparing you for the rapidly evolving legal landscape.

Course content

Week one

•     Introduction to Competition Law: Legal & Economic Foundations
•     Institutions, Public and Private enforcement
•     Introduction to Article 102 TFEU - Dominance and Abuse
•     Abuse of Dominance: Excessive pricing, predation, exclusive dealing
•     Abuse of Dominance: Refusal to supply, margin squeeze, tying
•     Regulating the Digital Economy

Week two

•     Introduction to Article 101 TFEU
•     The Object v Effects bifurcation
•     Article 101 TFEU and the twin, digital and green, transition (workers in the gig economy, private sustainability initiatives, e-commerce restraints)
•     Merger Control: Substantive and Procedural Matters
•     Assessment of Horizontal and non-horizontal mergers
•     Digital mergers and new theories of harmLearning outcomes

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:

• Grasp key terms and concepts within competition law and policy.
• Understand how EU and UK competition laws work, and how they compare to US regulations.
• Explore how modern challenges like digital markets, sustainability, and the sharing economy are reshaping competition law.
• Learn how competition law is enforced, from public and private legal actions to criminal cases.
• Develop a critical understanding of how today’s digital economy is regulated.

Who this course is for?

This course is aimed at students and graduates who are interested in developing an overview of competition law and an understanding of the major trends and challenges in this area of law. It’s perfect for those who want to understand how competition rules are applied across different regions and sectors, from tech giants to green industries. It may also appeal to persons considering a future in law and wanting to explore how legal frameworks impact industries.

Costs and concessions

• Standard rate: £3,250 | Early bird rate: £2925
• Student / Public sector / charity / not-for-profit organisations: £2,250 | Early bird rate: £2,025
• UCL Laws alumni rate: £2,750 | Early bird rate: £2475
• Early bird rates apply if you sign up by 31 December 2024.

Course team

Stavros Makris, Lecturer in Law

Stavros Makris, Lecturer in LawStavros is a Lecturer in Competition Law at UCL, joining in September 2024. He previously taught EU Competition Law and US Antitrust at Glasgow University, LSE, Wageningen University, and Sciences Po Paris. Stavros holds a law degree and a Master in Philosophy of Law from the University of Athens, and an LLM from UCL. He completed his PhD at the European University Institute (EUI). Stavros has advised the Hellenic Competition Commission and peer-reviewed for leading competition law journals.

Ioannis Lianos, Professor of Global Competition Law and Public Policy

Ioannis Lianos, Professor of Global Competition Law and Public Policy Ioannis is Chair of Global Competition Law and Public Policy at UCL and a member of the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal since 2024. He was President of the Hellenic Competition Commission (2019-2024) and chaired the Special Law Commission, leading to Greece’s 2022 competition law reform. Elected to the OECD Competition Committee Bureau (2021-2023), he also advises governments on competition and IP law. Lianos is the founding director of UCL’s Centre for Law, Economics and Society, edits major legal publications, and has held visiting professorships at top universities, including Sciences Po and NYU.

Despoina Mantzari, Associate Professor in Competition Law and Policy

Despoina Mantzari, Associate Professor in Competition Law and PolicyDespoina (Deni)  is Associate Professor of Competition Law and Policy at UCL, co-directing the Centre for Law, Economics and Society. She holds a PhD and LL.M. from UCL and a law degree from the National University of Athens. Previously a lecturer at the University of Reading, her research spans competition law, behavioral economics, and regulatory discretion. She is an editor for key legal journals, general editor of LexisNexis’ *Competition Law of the European Union*, and author of a monograph on courts and economic evidence published by Oxford University Press.

Course information last modified: 15 Oct 2024, 17:07