The treatment of abusive (or monopolization) practices by dominant firms is one the most controversial areas in competition policy. At the other extreme, in the EU dominant firms have been repeatedly sanctioned by competition authorities for such practices, at times disregarding potential efficiency considerations.

The four-day course, designed for lawyers and economists, provide them with a thorough understanding of the most recent economic theories of monopolization, help them apply these concepts in practice, and review actual cases in the light of an effects-based approach.

"This short but extremely useful course presents crystal-clear points of economic theory and practice and provides sharp insights into relevant issues of competition policy," said course participant Mel Marquis, Professor of Law at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. "Lawyers that have already been exposed to the basic economics of competition will find this expert instruction entirely illuminating."

"It's a high-quality course. The teachers are very, very good," said María de la Luz Domper, economist and judge at the Chilean Competition Tribunal. "The course gives you a deep and wide notion of the latest economic theories and cases in abuse of dominance that have been analized by the European Commission and the United States Department of Justice. It is great, and I recommend it."

Two graduates of the BSE master program in Competition and Market Regulation were among this year's course participants. For them, the course was an opportunity to return to campus and get back in the classroom with some of the professors they already know well from the master program. One of them was Morten Eskild Friehlin '10, who is now an economic consultant at Danish law firm Bech-Bruun in Copenhagen.

"I work with competition cases and saw the course on Abuse of Dominance as a brilliant way to catch up with the latest developments in the field of competition policy," Mr. Friehling said. "All the lectures gave me useful insights to apply in my work. The sessions regarding recent cases were particularly valuable."