mededingings

Mededinging is the Dutch term for competition in markets. The concept covers the rivalry among firms in supplying goods and services, which tends to lower prices, improve quality, and spur innovation. In Dutch law, mededingingsrecht, or competition law, sets rules to preserve effective competition and prevent practices that harm consumers or other market participants. A parallel policy area, mededingingsbeleid, aims to maintain a competitive market structure through enforcement, regulation, and oversight.

At the national level, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) enforces competition rules in the Netherlands and cooperates with the European Commission under EU competition law. Key prohibitions include cartels and other agreements that restrict competition; abuses of a dominant market position; and mergers or concentrations that could significantly lessen competition.

Common anti-competitive practices include price fixing, market sharing, bid rigging, and restrictive agreements such as exclusive dealing. Abuses by dominant firms may involve predatory pricing, tying, or discriminatory practices. Merger control authorities review proposed mergers to assess potential impacts on competition; remedies or blocking decisions may be imposed if competition would be harmed.

Impact and debate: mededinging policy aims to protect consumers, promote efficiency, and foster innovation. Critics debate the balance between maintaining competition and other policy objectives, such as national industry support or regulatory burdens. Overall, mededinging provides a framework for evaluating and correcting anti-competitive behavior within the Dutch and European market landscape.