mededingingsautoriteit

Mededingingsautoriteit is a Dutch term referring to the authority responsible for enforcing competition law and safeguarding fair competition in the Netherlands. Traditionally it described the Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit (NMa), an agency established to oversee antitrust enforcement, merger control, and related activities. Since 2013, the functions of the mededingingsautoriteit in the Netherlands have been carried out by the Autoriteit Consument en Markt (ACM), a broader independent regulatory body that also covers consumer protection and sector-specific regulation.

The core role of a mededingingsautoriteit is to maintain competitive markets by preventing anti-competitive agreements, abuses of a dominant market position, and other practices that restrict competition. Key powers typically include investigating suspected infringements, conducting dawn raids, imposing fines or remedies, and reviewing mergers and acquisitions for potential anti-competitive effects. Agencies may also issue guidelines, monitor specific sectors, and cooperate with businesses to promote competitive behavior. Leniency programs for participants that cooperate with investigations are commonly offered in some jurisdictions.

Jurisdiction and cooperation: national competition authorities like the mededingingsautoriteit enforce national competition law while also applying EU competition rules where relevant. They work with the European Commission and other NCAs through networks such as the European Competition Network (ECN) to coordinate enforcement and ensure consistency across borders.

Historical note: the term mededingingsautoriteit remains a historical reference to the Netherlands’ competition authority, particularly the NMa, but the current authority handling these tasks is ACM, which operates as an independent administrative body under Dutch law.