Abstract

Over the last few years, the issue of antitrust fines has often been discussed within both the European as well as the national debate. The article analyses the legal and economic dimensions underlining the fining policy, paying specific attention to the deterrence effect, the methodology for setting fines, and their judicial review. In this perspective, same cases are reviewed as to highlight potential problems in the competition enforcement. The basic question stands as usual: is such a mechanism able to ensure the effectiveness of the antitrust intervention?