Antitrust
Accusations of antitrust violations can expose companies to a wide range of repercussions, including considerable fines and claims for compensatory damages. Whether and to what extent antitrust laws have been violated is a legal question which requires an economist's input. The relevant economic analyses and arguments must therefore always be prepared with a sharp focus on the legal aspects to be clarified. Since the decision-makers at the administrative and regulatory authorities and on the courts tend to have legal backgrounds, analyses and arguments must also be presented to them in a clear and compelling manner.
This requires the economist to see and understand things from a legal perspective. Coppik Economics possesses this rare combination of expertise. Our analyses are thus not presented as isolated, stand-alone reports, but rather are systematically tailored to address the legal issues at the heart of the matter. They dovetail perfectly with the legal argumentation to deliver the most convincing impact possible.
Cartel Damages
Economic expertise on cartel damages in legal proceedings has been a focal point of our activities for many years. A successful defense against cartel damage claims requires a lot more than just technical economic analysis and argumentation. A thorough and intense examination of the underlying facts of each specific case are indispensable and absolute key to success.
Besides „State-of-the-art“ methodological analyses we thus emphasize on all relevant factors that might come into play for a reasonable explanation of the observed market outcomes (e. g. prices). The party who can explain the case more convincingly to the court (or national authority) usually wins the case or at least increases success chances.
Selected case references, in which Coppik Economics has been part of successful engagements in cartel damage cases (usually the proceeding and the identity of the client are confidential, so we just indicate the industry) are: Consumer Goods, Do-it-yourself, Drugstores, Finance, Food, Insurances, Network Industries, Utilities
Sector Specific Regulation
Beyond general antitrust regulation, companies are also subject to additional, sector-specific regulation. In particular, such sectors include network economies such as telecommunications and the energy sector. Specific regulatory conditions can significantly restrict a company's ability to act, thereby compromising its competitive position considerably. For instance, if a regulatory authority imposes an obligation on companies in a given sector to obtain approval for the rates they charge, this can deprive the companies of any pricing autonomy or flexibility. We have a profound understanding of the unique nature of network economies and can look back on more than 20 years' experience with industries subject to sector-specific regulation. Coppik Economics offers its clients comprehensive regulatory support.
You will find a report on the current topic, the introduction of the 5th generation mobile (5G), as an example here [in German].
