Competition Rules in the Euromed Countries with a Special Emphasis on Network Industries

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is thus to examine the state of adoption and implementation of competition rules in the 12 Mediterranean countries (the countries) engaged in association agreements with the EC in the framework of the Barcelona Declaration of November 1995. Indeed, these agreements not only contain trade related provisions, but also include competition rules. Moreover, independently of the association agreements, some Euromed countries have decided to adopt domestic competition law regimes. A related objective of this paper is to discuss why adoption of competition law regimes is important in emerging economies, in particular as a necessary component of the market-opening reforms undertaken by a number of Euromed countries in the area of network industries (telecommunications, postal services, energy, and transport). Competition rules have played a very important role in the liberalisation process in the EC. There is every reason to believe that competition rules could play a similarly important role in the Euromed countries that have engaged in the liberalisation of their network industries.