Private Remedies

Between October 2004 and June 2006, the OECD’s Competition Committee held a series of four roundtable discussions on private enforcement in competition cases. The discussions focused on general principles and policies as well as a number of specific issues related in particular to private actions for damages. This volume includes the proceedings of these discussions, including submissions by member countries, observers, and BIAC, summaries of discussion, and papers prepared by experts.1 The Committee’s interest in the subject of private antitrust enforcement was particularly timely in light of the ongoing European debate about private actions for damages in competition cases and the need of reforms to encourage more private enforcement. The selection of topics for discussion in many ways followed the 2004 Report on private remedies in EU member states,2 commissioned by the European Commission.