The experience of the past fifty years of European integration shows that fair and undistorted competition in a single market works to the benefit of everyone in terms of prosperity, consumer choice, and sustainable employment. 'Free competition' is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. When we strive to get markets functioning better, it is because competitive markets provide citizens with better goods and better services, at better prices. Competitive markets provide the right conditions for companies to innovate and prosper, and so to increase overall wealth.

EIM Business & Policy Research, a member of Panteia, has been carrying out a variety of studies in the field of competition policy. Clients include the European Commission and national competition authorities. Studies were mainly focusing on the main instruments of competition policy: antitrust, merger control and state aid rules.

Should you require any further information, please contact us.
We will be happy to help you.

Example international projects:

SME access to Alternative Dispute Resolution systems
The aim of the study is to make a useful contribution to the development of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Europe and, in particular, to promote this system of resolving disputes where SMEs are involved, especially small businesses. In order to achieve this aim, the study provides concrete data on the balance to be achieved between the types of dispute resolved, the informal nature of Alternative Dispute Resolution, its effectiveness and its promotion among enterprises. The study was carried out in close cooperation with partners in the ENSR network, that who collected the information at local level.

Self- and co-regulatory practices in the EU
The objective of this project is to identify patterns in existing self- and co-regulatory schemes of a professional and sectoral nature, in order to propose a set of guidelines and recommendations for the criteria, the conditions and the minimum content to be considered when designing such schemes, which may constitute efficient alternatives to EU regulations for business and professional activities.

Self-regulatory and co-regulatory approaches are alternative forms of government regulation to correct market failure. They involve modes of governance that are not based on formal regulation. This may involve voluntary accords or coordination methods. These kinds of practice may offer alternatives to EU regulations.

Self- and co-regulatory practices are becoming more widespread. On the one hand are stimulated by the economic, social and political environment to develop voluntary codes or standards, or to engage in multi-stakeholder initiatives and public- private co-operation projects. On the other hand, self- and co-regulatory practices also fit well with the current call to simplify regulations and reduce administrative barriers for enterprises.

Governance: Self-regulation best practices in SANCO policies 1999-2006
In this study:

• the self-regulation activities within SANCO's policy areas of consumer affaires, public health and food safety have been screened;
• evidence of impediments to effective SR notably in terms of effectiveness in these areas are analysed to identify key issues and problems in the light of this experience;
• the SANCO SR experience of the "key elements for best practice of effective self-regulation as described in the Report on Advertising SR" is evaluated;
• the applicability of these key elements of self-regulatory governance in SANCO area is assessed.

Study on the access of SMEs to public procurement
Since the early 1970s, EU policy has aimed to open up national public procurement to competition from other Member States, based on transparent and competitive purchasing rules.

The European Commission requested EIM to carry out an extensive study on access to public contracts for small and medium-sized enterprises. In this study the access of SMEs to European-scale public procurement contracts has been measured. In addition, the success factors to bring about greater SME participation in public procurement contracts. were developed and good practices were identified to determine how SME participation in public procurement could be promoted at national level.

The report can be found here.