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Lojala och legala rabatter? En studie av rättsläget vid lojalitetsrabatter och dess förenlighet med kravet på legalitet

Andersson Broms, Vera LU (2022) LAGF03 20221
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Konkurrensrättens regler omfattar alla företag på marknaden och har därför en väsentlig betydelse för företag och konsumenter. EU-rättens konkurrensregler om missbruk av dominerande ställning i artikel 102 Fördraget om Europeiska funktionssättet (FEUF) och den svenska regleringen i 2 kap. 7 § konkurrenslagen (2008:573), KL, har resulterat i flera rättsfall när företag ansetts missbruka sin dominerande ställning. Lojalitetsskapande rabatter är ett fenomen som i EU-rättspraxis och i svensk rättspraxis har ansetts utgöra missbruk av dominerande ställning, om det företas av företag med en dominerande ställning på marknaden. På konkurrensrättens område har EU-domstolen rättsutvecklingen i sina händer, eftersom de skapar ny rättspraxis på... (More)
Konkurrensrättens regler omfattar alla företag på marknaden och har därför en väsentlig betydelse för företag och konsumenter. EU-rättens konkurrensregler om missbruk av dominerande ställning i artikel 102 Fördraget om Europeiska funktionssättet (FEUF) och den svenska regleringen i 2 kap. 7 § konkurrenslagen (2008:573), KL, har resulterat i flera rättsfall när företag ansetts missbruka sin dominerande ställning. Lojalitetsskapande rabatter är ett fenomen som i EU-rättspraxis och i svensk rättspraxis har ansetts utgöra missbruk av dominerande ställning, om det företas av företag med en dominerande ställning på marknaden. På konkurrensrättens område har EU-domstolen rättsutvecklingen i sina händer, eftersom de skapar ny rättspraxis på området.

Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka huruvida kravet på legalitet tillgodoses vid bedömningen av missbruk av dominerande ställning, särskilt lojalitetsskapande rabatter. Legalitetsprincipen är av fundamental betydelse inom juridiken. Det är därför viktigt att rättsregler på konkurrensrättens område är förutsebara och tydliga för företag. I flera avgöranden har domstolen använt sig av en presumtionsbaserad bedömningsmetod, vilket innebär att de presumerat att lojalitetsskapande rabatter hämmar konkurrensen om de inte varit motiverade, utan att faktiskt visa det. Det har på ett sätt varit förutsebart vad som gäller, men i och med att tidigare avgöranden inte fokuserat på att bevisa att lojalitetsrabatter har en konkurrenshämmande effekt, kan förutsebarheten och rättssäkerheten för företag anses ha brustit.

I januari 2022 kom Intel-avgörandet från tribunalen, där tidigare rättspraxis avseende bevisning av konkurrenshämmande effekt ändrades på. Istället för en presumtionsbaserad bedömningsmetod, användes en effektbaserad bedömningsmetod och domstolen gjorde bedömningen att lika-effektiv-konkurrent-testet (LEK-testet) skulle användas när effekten på marknaden prövas. Med tanke på att domen ändrar på hur domstolen tidigare dömt i liknande mål, är förmodligen en förändring i sikte avseende bedömningsmetoden vid lojalitetsskapande rabatter. Kravet på legalitet och rättssäkerhet kan sägas uppfyllas mer i och med avgörandet, eftersom rättsläget blivit tydligare. Samtidigt finns det fortfarande aspekter i bedömningen som skulle kunna tydliggöras, med hänsyn till begrepp som EU-domstolen använde sig av när de argumenterade för att LEK-testet var viktigt. Det återstår därför att se huruvida rättsläget kommer förändras mot bakgrund av Intel-avgörandet. (Less)
Abstract
All companies that are established on the market must comply with the competition law rules, hence they are significant for all companies and consumers. European Union (EU) competition law rules regarding abuse of a dominant position in article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and in the Swedish regulation, 2 chapter 7 § (2008:573), KL, have resulted in several cases, since companies have been abusing their dominant position. Loyalty rebates is a phenomenon that has been viewed as an abuse of a dominant position, due to cases both in Sweden and in the EU. Within the area of competition law, the European Court of Justice has the development of law in its hands, as the Court creates new case-law in the field.

... (More)
All companies that are established on the market must comply with the competition law rules, hence they are significant for all companies and consumers. European Union (EU) competition law rules regarding abuse of a dominant position in article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and in the Swedish regulation, 2 chapter 7 § (2008:573), KL, have resulted in several cases, since companies have been abusing their dominant position. Loyalty rebates is a phenomenon that has been viewed as an abuse of a dominant position, due to cases both in Sweden and in the EU. Within the area of competition law, the European Court of Justice has the development of law in its hands, as the Court creates new case-law in the field.

This essay aims to examine whether the requirement of legality is met when the assessment of abuse of dominant position, particularly loyalty rebates, is made. The principle of legality has a fundamental meaning when it comes to jurisdiction. Thus, it is of importance for companies that it is predictable and clear when it comes to all the legal situations within competition law. The court has in several cases been using a presumption-based assessment method. However, that means that it has presumed that loyalty rebates are anti-competitive if they have not been motivated, without proving it. In one way it has been predictable how the jurisdiction has been applied when it comes to loyalty rebates. In another way, the previous decisions have not focused on proving if it has resulted in an anti-competitive effect. Hence, the legal certainty and predictability can be seen as not clear enough for companies.

In January 2022, the tribunal delivered a judgment in the Intel-case. Consequently, the custom changed regarding the requirement of proof when showing an anti-competitive effect. Instead of using a presumption-based assessment method, the court used an effect-based analysis and they found that the as-efficient competitor test (AEC-test) should be used when the effect on the market is to be examined. This case changes the way the court earlier judged, thus it can be presumed that it will lead to a change when it comes to the analysis method regarding loyalty rebates. However, the requirement of legality and predictability can be seen as more attained due to this new case since the jurisdiction is clearer. In another way, there are still aspects in the judgement that could be made clearer, considering the concepts that the European Court of Justice used when they presented the reasons as for why the AEC-test is important. Consequently, it remains to be seen if jurisdiction will change, regarding the Intel-judgement. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Andersson Broms, Vera LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20221
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Konkurrensrätt, missbruk av dominerande ställning, lojalitetsrabatter, legalitetsprincipen
language
Swedish
id
9080893
date added to LUP
2022-06-27 18:50:48
date last changed
2022-06-27 18:50:48
@misc{9080893,
  abstract     = {{All companies that are established on the market must comply with the competition law rules, hence they are significant for all companies and consumers. European Union (EU) competition law rules regarding abuse of a dominant position in article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and in the Swedish regulation, 2 chapter 7 § (2008:573), KL, have resulted in several cases, since companies have been abusing their dominant position. Loyalty rebates is a phenomenon that has been viewed as an abuse of a dominant position, due to cases both in Sweden and in the EU. Within the area of competition law, the European Court of Justice has the development of law in its hands, as the Court creates new case-law in the field.

This essay aims to examine whether the requirement of legality is met when the assessment of abuse of dominant position, particularly loyalty rebates, is made. The principle of legality has a fundamental meaning when it comes to jurisdiction. Thus, it is of importance for companies that it is predictable and clear when it comes to all the legal situations within competition law. The court has in several cases been using a presumption-based assessment method. However, that means that it has presumed that loyalty rebates are anti-competitive if they have not been motivated, without proving it. In one way it has been predictable how the jurisdiction has been applied when it comes to loyalty rebates. In another way, the previous decisions have not focused on proving if it has resulted in an anti-competitive effect. Hence, the legal certainty and predictability can be seen as not clear enough for companies.

In January 2022, the tribunal delivered a judgment in the Intel-case. Consequently, the custom changed regarding the requirement of proof when showing an anti-competitive effect. Instead of using a presumption-based assessment method, the court used an effect-based analysis and they found that the as-efficient competitor test (AEC-test) should be used when the effect on the market is to be examined. This case changes the way the court earlier judged, thus it can be presumed that it will lead to a change when it comes to the analysis method regarding loyalty rebates. However, the requirement of legality and predictability can be seen as more attained due to this new case since the jurisdiction is clearer. In another way, there are still aspects in the judgement that could be made clearer, considering the concepts that the European Court of Justice used when they presented the reasons as for why the AEC-test is important. Consequently, it remains to be seen if jurisdiction will change, regarding the Intel-judgement.}},
  author       = {{Andersson Broms, Vera}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Lojala och legala rabatter? En studie av rättsläget vid lojalitetsrabatter och dess förenlighet med kravet på legalitet}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}