Thesis (Selection of subject)

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Merger Control in the European Union

Thesis title in Czech:
Thesis title in English:	Merger Control in the European Union
Key words:	fúze a akvizice, politická ekonomie, Evropská Unie, regulace, antitrust
English key words:	merger control, political economy, European Union, regulation, antitrust
Academic year of topic announcement:	2010/2011
Thesis type:	diploma thesis
Thesis language:	angličtina
Department:	Institute of Economic Studies (23-IES)
Supervisor:	PhDr. Mgr. Goran Serdarevič, M.A.
Author:	hidden - assigned by the advisor
Date of registration:	10.05.2011
Date of assignment:	10.05.2011
Date and time of defence:	21.06.2011 00:00
Venue of defence:	IES
Date of electronic submission:	16.05.2011
Date of proceeded defence:	21.06.2011
Opponents:	PhDr. Pavel Vacek, Ph.D.

References

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EU Regulation
Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 of January 20, 2004 on the control of concentrations betweenundertakings, O.J. 2004 No. L 24/1
Green Paper on the review of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 11 December 2001, (COM (2001)745 final.
Guidelines on the assessment of horizontal mergers under the Council Regulation on the control of concentrations between undertakings, O.J. 2004/C 31/03
Commission Decision, 25 April 2006, Case No COMP/M.4110 - E.On/Endesa, Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.
Commission Decision, 30 July 1997, Case No IV/M.877 - Boeing/McDonnell Douglas, Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89
Commission Decision, 18 October 2005, Case No COMP/M.3894 - Unicredito/HVB, REGULATION (EC) No 139/2004
Commission Decision, 15 November 2005, Case No COMP/M.3986 – Gas Natural/Endesa, Regulation (EC) No 139/2004
Internet Sources
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/index_en.html
http://factiva.com/

Preliminary scope of work

The main goal in this paper is to make an in-depth analysis of the regulatory situations that can arise during mergers when political involvement takes place. The research is based on four controversial merger cases of undertakings within the same country (E.On-Ruhrgas), European Union countries (E.On-Endesa, Unicredit-Hypoverein) and between companies from the USA (Boeing-McDonnell Douglas) that have effect on the European market. We analyze the four mergers using Michele Ruta and Massimo Motta models from the paper “A Political Economy of Merger Policy in International Markets” (2008).
By the end of the research we reached the conclusion that due to some lapses in the European Commission Merger regulation at the time of the mergers, as well as due to government involvement in the mergers, they are not always cleared in the benefit of the market competition or consumer welfare, but due to nationalistic interests of governments to have big players on the market or to keep governmental power in certain industries, even with the risk of harming competition. Along with this, from the mergers analyzed here, it becomes clear that local or union authorities scrutinize the foreign acquirers more.

Preliminary scope of work in English