EU competition law enforcement in digital markets – reasons for a more centralized approach

The current system of decentralized enforcement of Art. 101 and 102 TFEU sets up a flexible system of parallel enforcement competences of the European Commission and National Competition Authorities. This article discusses the current phenomenon of increasing NCA activity in the field of competition enforcement against EU-wide practices implemented by global market players operating in the digital environment. NCAs’ overactivity in this field leads to multiplication of legal investigations and raises legitimate questions of the effectiveness of competition enforcement, as well as predictability and proportionality. Based on such arguments, the article suggests to introduce a more centralized, consistent approach in reference to EU-wide infringements and, complementarily, to reform fining rules, which should ensure proportionality of fines for such competition restrictions.

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