Yearbook of Antitrust and Regulatory Studies (Nov 2008)
Parallel Trade in Prescription Medicines in the European Union: The Age of Reason?
Abstract
European competition law, uniquely in the world, attributes high importance, and uses the competition rules, to achieve market integration. In the early years, EC competition decisions punished manufacturers and resellers who contractually inhibited parallel traders. Such actions may have rewarded “free riders” but also helped to create consumer awareness of cross-border shopping opportunities. However, the case of prescription medicines is different.
