The Amsterdam Center for Law & Economics (ACLE) at the University of Amsterdam organizes its second annual Competition & Regulation meeting. The topic of the workshop is:

Forensic Economics in Competition Law Enforcement

March 17, 2006
University of Amsterdam, Law Faculty
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Keynote Speakers:
John M. Connor (Purdue University)
Franklin M. Fisher (MIT)
Andrew I. Gavil (Howard University School of Law)
Julian M. Joshua (Howrey LLP)

Introduction to the Topic

Competition law enforcement is increasingly making use of sophisticated forensic methods derived from economic theory. The full process, from detection to the gathering of evidence and its presentation in court, involves ever more professional detective techniques and academic economic expertise. Both competition authorities and defendants rely increasingly on expert opinions in the reconstruction of cases. Also, in private antitrust litigation, damages are estimated on the basis of sophisticated economic techniques. As a result of this, courts have gradually come to develop proper rules of engagement. In these developments, the US leads due to its considerably longer antitrust tradition, which in part is a matter of criminal law. Yet in recent years, the EU and its Member States have adopted several US practices, applying ever more sophisticated economic analysis in their decisions.

The ACLE invites scholars and practitioners to discuss the proper role of forensic methods in competition policy. At this 2nd ACLE Competition & Regulation meeting, three distinguished US speakers will introduce merits and limitations of forensic methods in competition law enforcement. John Connor teaches a short-course on forensic economics at Purdue University. He will introduce the topic. Andrew I. Gavil recently concluded on the role of economics in establishing the content of US antitrust at the latest Fordham meetings. He will provide a legal perspective on how lawyers and courts receive economic evidence. Franklin Fisher is a veteran expert witness in antitrust courts around the world. He will provide insight into how to be a good economic expert witness. The plenary debate on the extent to which lessons from US experience with advanced forensic methods can inform EU competition law enforcement is introduced by Julian Joshua, as former Deputy Head of the European Commission's Cartel Unit versed in our continental economic investigation techniques. He will comment on possible improvements to present EU methods, as well as limitations to the application of US practices in Europe.

Call for Papers-Now closed

International scholars and practitioners in the field of economics, competition law and competition policy are invited to submit their work (in progress) on the workshop topic to be considered for inclusion in the contributed paper sessions. Although we encourage submission of all related work, please appreciate the specific topic of this workshop. In particular, we seek original contributions by scholars in law and/or economics on the specialized subtopics: detection, the use of market data to screen industries and target markets for close inspection, specific methods of investigation in relation to complex discoverability laws, the role of economic expert witnesses in arguing a breach of competition law, economic evidence in relation to standards of proof in competition law cases, and econometric techniques to determine the effects (including damages) of anticompetitive conduct.

The deadline for submission is February 1, 2006. Decisions on acceptance into the workshop program will be communicated by the end of February 2006. Decisions on the special issue of the JCLE are independent and will be taken at a later date.

Workshop Program

The scientific program committee, which consists of John Connor, Kati Cseres, Franklin Fisher, Andrew I. Gavil, Julian Joshua, Maarten Pieter Schinkel (chair) and Floris Vogelaar have produced the enclosed full day program.

Registration and Fees-Now Closed

To register for the workshop, please complete the registration form below and return it by email to ACLE@uva.nl.

The fee for the workshop is euro 75 for full-time academics and euro 200 for practitioners. Payment details are given on the registration form. Alternatively, we can invoice you.

A limited number of reduced fees is available for selected young scholars (PhD candidates and post-docs). To be considered for a fee waiver please motivate your position by separate e-mail to acle@uva.nl. There is no fee for presenters of contributed papers.

The registration fee includes conference participation, luncheon, refreshments and closing drinks.

Please note that there is a limited number of places available, so early registration is advised.

From/to Conference Venue

From Schiphol Airport you can take the train to the city centre of Amsterdam (Amsterdam Centraal Station). For most of the day, trains run from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station every 10 minutes.

To get to the Faculty of Law from Amsterdam’s Central Station, you can use tramlines 4, 9, 16, 24, or 25. Get out at the second stop (Spui). The street you are on now is the Rokin. Take a left and cross the bridge to enter the alley Langebrugsteeg. Follow it through to Grimburgwal. At the end of Grimburgwal, take a left onto the canal named Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Immediately on your right hand side is the gate to the Oudemanhuispoort. Go through the gate and go halfway down the passage. On your left hand side, you will find the courtyard with the main entrance to the Faculty of Law.

We do not advise you to bring your car into Amsterdam’s city center. However, if you do wish to come by car, the Waterloo Square parking lot is closest to the Conference Venue.

Below you will find a map with the location of the workshop venue (number 7).

By taxi from Schiphol Airport, the trip to the workshop location will cost you approximately €50 and will take about half an hour.

Hotel Accommodation

Participants are to arrange their own lodging. The following is a selection of hotels in de vicinity of the conference venues.

• The Grand *****Deluxe
  Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197
  Website: www.thegrand.nl
  Phone: +31 (0)20 555 3555
  Prices from € 230
  
• NH Doelen ****
  Nieuwe Doelenstraat 24
  Website: www.nh-hotels.com
  Phone: +31 (0)20-5540662
  Prices from € 120
  
• Le Coin ***
  Nieuwe Doelenstraat 5
  Website www.lecoin.nl
  Phone: +31 (0)20 524 6800
  Prices from € 85 (mention ACLE Conference)
  
• Arena Hotel ***
  's Gravesandestraat 51
  Website www.hotelarena.nl
  Phone: +31 (0)20 8502400
  Prices from € 90
  
• Hostel Stay OK Amsterdam Vondelpark
  Zandpad 5
  Website: www.stayokay.com
  Phone: + 31 (0)20 5898996
  Prices from € 67,50

Sponsors

Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

Press

The attached PDF document collects background information for members of the press. Press is welcome at the event and there will be opportunity to make photographs. Please, do give us advance notice of your intentions to visit.

Special Issue of the Journal of Competition Law & Economics

The Journal of Competition Law & Economics (Oxford University Press) has reserved the topic of the workshop, Forensic Economics in Competition Law Enforcement, for a special journal issue. The issue will include the best efforts of the workshop. The normal international academic refereeing process will apply.

For more information on the JCLE, please click below.

Pictures of the Event

Behind the link below, you find some pictures of speakers and participants taken during the workshop by Joris Bijvoet.

Surrounding events

The year 2006 happens to be the Rembrandt year, celebrating the 400th birthday of Rembrandt van Rijn. At the time of our workshop there are exhibitions in the Van Gogh Museum and the Lakenhal in Leiden. At the TEFAF in Maastricht you can even purchase your own Rembrandt over the weekend. For more information see the websites below.

ACLE Conference Organizing Committee

The organizing committee consists of: Iwan Bos, Norman Bremer, Kati Cseres, Ine Raangs, Maarten Pieter Schinkel (chair), Floris Vogelaar and Irene Wamelink.

For further inquiries contact the ACLE Office at +31 (0)20 525 4162 or the e-mail address below.

For further information about the ACLE, see www.acle.nl.