Richard Whish’s Competition Law is the definitive textbook on this subject. The author’s authoritative treatment of the area is matched by a lively and easy-to-follow writing style, making this book an indispensable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate law and economics students, as well as for practitioners and officials involved in competition law.

Explaining the economic context within which competition law operates in the UK, EC and internationally, Whish looks at the constituent parts of the law and analyses how they affect particularly commercial phenomena. Key aspects are examined in detail, including mergers, horizontal and vertical agreements, the Abuse of Dominance, Intellectual Property and the obligations of Member States under the EC. The book also scrutinizes fundamental Acts and Articles - Competition Act 1998; Enterprise Act 2002; Articles 81 and 82 - providing readers with context, consequences and an overview of how these are applied in practice. This book is essential reading for students, practitioners and officials seeking a respected, reliable, intelligent and critical approach to competition law.

This edition:



·Contains new text on the EC Merger Regulation and the Technology Transfer Regulation of 2004


·Reflects upon the Commission’s discussion paper on Article 82


·Provides a wider picture of the EC Modernization Regulation


·Offers a fuller discussion of UK market investigation and merger control now that the Enterprise Act has been in force for four years


Online Resource Centre

The Online Resource centre that accompanies this edition of the book contains articles written by the author, forthcoming chapters from the book, and updates to the law post-publication.