Selektiva distributionssystem - En studie av konkurrenslagen och dess tillämpning
(2017) LAGF03 20171Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Selektiva distributionssystem är marknadsföringsmetod som ofta används vid distribution av exklusiva och tekniskt avancerade varor. Denna typ av distribution innebär att produkter som säljs inom systemet endast distribueras av återförsäljare som är auktoriserade. För att bli auktoriserad krävs att återförsäljaren lever upp till de i distributionssystemet uppställda kraven, vilka kan vara långtgående.
Selektiva distributionssystem har avskärmande karaktär vilket kan få konsekvenser för inommärkeskonkurrensen och därmed kan leda till en minskad priskonkurrens. Konkurrensen på andra områden kan däremot öka. Beroende på hur systemen påverkar konkurrensen kan det anses vara konkurrensbegränsande enligt 2 kap 1§ KL eller den i unionsrätten... (More) - Selektiva distributionssystem är marknadsföringsmetod som ofta används vid distribution av exklusiva och tekniskt avancerade varor. Denna typ av distribution innebär att produkter som säljs inom systemet endast distribueras av återförsäljare som är auktoriserade. För att bli auktoriserad krävs att återförsäljaren lever upp till de i distributionssystemet uppställda kraven, vilka kan vara långtgående.
Selektiva distributionssystem har avskärmande karaktär vilket kan få konsekvenser för inommärkeskonkurrensen och därmed kan leda till en minskad priskonkurrens. Konkurrensen på andra områden kan däremot öka. Beroende på hur systemen påverkar konkurrensen kan det anses vara konkurrensbegränsande enligt 2 kap 1§ KL eller den i unionsrätten motsvarande bestämmelsen i artikel 101.1 FEUF.
Den svenska konkurrensrätten har samma materiella innehåll som den unionsrättsliga konkurrensrätten och därför ska även svenska lagen (KL) tolkas mot bakgrund av EU-domstolens praxis. EU-domstolen har i målet Metro från 1977 framställt kriterier för när ett avtal som reglerar selektiva distributionssystem inte ska omfattas av förbudet mot konkurrensbegränsande avtal. När dessa kriterier är uppfyllda är det frågan om ett kvalitativt selektivt distributionssystem.
Uppsatsen svarar på två huvudsakliga frågeställningar. Den första är när selektiva distributionssystem anses stå utanför förbudet mot konkurrensbegränsande avtal i svensk rätt. Denna fråga kortfattat besvaras enligt följande: selektiva distributionssystem omfattas inte av förbudet mot konkurrensbegränsning i fyra olika situationer; (i) om det avser ett kvalitativt selektivt distributionssystem, (ii) om de bedöms uppfylla kraven för undantag i lagstiftningen, (iii) om de undantas genom reglerna för gruppundantag eller (iv) om det är avtal som understiger tröskelvärdet för att räknas som bagatellavtal.
Den andra frågeställningen som besvaras i uppsatsen är huruvida konkurrensverkets beslut gällande selektiva distributionssystem är förenligt med den svenska konkurrenslagens syfte. (Less) - Abstract
- Selective distribution systems are a kind of marketing method used when distributing exclusive and technical advanced products. In this kind of distribution system products within the system is only distributed by retailers that are authorized. To become authorized the retailer has to fulfil the criteria’s that the provider has set out for inclusion in the distribution system.
Selective distribution system has a screening off character; this may result in consequences for intra-brand competition and lead to a reduced price competition. Hence the system can be limit the competition in accordance with 2 Chapter 1§ KL and the corresponding regulation in EU law, article 101.1 of the treaty on the functioning of the European union (“FEUF”).... (More) - Selective distribution systems are a kind of marketing method used when distributing exclusive and technical advanced products. In this kind of distribution system products within the system is only distributed by retailers that are authorized. To become authorized the retailer has to fulfil the criteria’s that the provider has set out for inclusion in the distribution system.
Selective distribution system has a screening off character; this may result in consequences for intra-brand competition and lead to a reduced price competition. Hence the system can be limit the competition in accordance with 2 Chapter 1§ KL and the corresponding regulation in EU law, article 101.1 of the treaty on the functioning of the European union (“FEUF”).
The Swedish Competition Act (“KL”) provides basically the same material content as the EU Competition law and due to that the KL shall be interpreted in the light of court practice from the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Court of Justice of the European Union has in the case of Metro against the Commission from 1977 set out the criterias that shall be in place if selective distribution agreements shall be allowed with reference to competition law. When these criterias are fulfilled the selective distributions system is qualified as “qualitative”.
This essay will answer two main questions. The first question is when an agreement regulating selective distribution systems is allowed with reference to the prohibition of agreements limiting the competition as set out in KL, due to its specific structure as a vertical agreement. To answer this question, I have concluded that selective distribution systems are not covered by the restrictions in KL (and thus not prohibited) in four different situations, (i) if the selective distribution system is qualitative as defined by EU-competition law as set out in court cases from the Court of Justice of the European Union, (ii) if the system is considered fulfilling the requirements for an exception in KL, (iii) if the system can be excluded through the group exceptions or (iv) if the agreement is to be counted as a “bagatellavtal”.
The second question that is being answered in this essay is whether the decisions made by Swedish Competition Authority about selective distribution systems are in accordance with the aim of the Swedish Competition act. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8908324
- author
- Aspelin, Sara LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- LAGF03 20171
- year
- 2017
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Konkurrensrätt
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 8908324
- date added to LUP
- 2017-06-29 16:13:09
- date last changed
- 2017-06-29 16:13:09
@misc{8908324,
abstract = {{Selective distribution systems are a kind of marketing method used when distributing exclusive and technical advanced products. In this kind of distribution system products within the system is only distributed by retailers that are authorized. To become authorized the retailer has to fulfil the criteria’s that the provider has set out for inclusion in the distribution system.
Selective distribution system has a screening off character; this may result in consequences for intra-brand competition and lead to a reduced price competition. Hence the system can be limit the competition in accordance with 2 Chapter 1§ KL and the corresponding regulation in EU law, article 101.1 of the treaty on the functioning of the European union (“FEUF”).
The Swedish Competition Act (“KL”) provides basically the same material content as the EU Competition law and due to that the KL shall be interpreted in the light of court practice from the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Court of Justice of the European Union has in the case of Metro against the Commission from 1977 set out the criterias that shall be in place if selective distribution agreements shall be allowed with reference to competition law. When these criterias are fulfilled the selective distributions system is qualified as “qualitative”.
This essay will answer two main questions. The first question is when an agreement regulating selective distribution systems is allowed with reference to the prohibition of agreements limiting the competition as set out in KL, due to its specific structure as a vertical agreement. To answer this question, I have concluded that selective distribution systems are not covered by the restrictions in KL (and thus not prohibited) in four different situations, (i) if the selective distribution system is qualitative as defined by EU-competition law as set out in court cases from the Court of Justice of the European Union, (ii) if the system is considered fulfilling the requirements for an exception in KL, (iii) if the system can be excluded through the group exceptions or (iv) if the agreement is to be counted as a “bagatellavtal”.
The second question that is being answered in this essay is whether the decisions made by Swedish Competition Authority about selective distribution systems are in accordance with the aim of the Swedish Competition act.}},
author = {{Aspelin, Sara}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Selektiva distributionssystem - En studie av konkurrenslagen och dess tillämpning}},
year = {{2017}},
}