The Rules of Competition in the European Economic Community: A Study of the Substantive Law on a Comparative Law Basis with Special Reference to Patent Licence Agreements and Sole Distributorship Agreements

The creation of the European Economic Community and the gradual achievement of a Common Market in connection with this Community raises not only economic but numerous legal problems as weIl. In fact, the Treaty of Rome and the various regulations, directives and de cisions enacted for its implementation are bringing into being a new legal system which has a great influence not only within the frontiers of the Community but also on all European States which are in eco nomic contact with the Community and indeed on the entire world. This applies particularly to the provisions on the laws of competition laid down by the Treaty and its implementing regulations. These provisions must be known and taken into consideration not only by Common Market enterprises but also by large firms outside the Community. The very comprehensive literature on the European Economic Community has therefore laid special stress on this subject. The large number of commentaries published in the various languages of the Community on the Rules of Competition indicates the great interest taken not only by the commercial world but also by the world of jurisprudence.