29287 - Competition and contract law

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student acquires a deep knowledge of the legal instruments provided by UE and national law for the Protection of Competition, with particular reference to public procurement markets (works and infrastructure). The course objective is to acquire an adequate knowledge of  the regulatory and institutional profiles of the subject and of the legal issues determined by the interaction between government and private sector with particular regard to the anti-competitive effects that may arise.

Course contents

The legal overview of the concepts of competition and market. General principles and competition law. EU treaty and national law.

The definition of public markets. Specifities due to the presence of public law entities on the markets of goods and services.

The legal rules that define the legal regime of the market and its competitive nature. Principles and provisions applicable to the rights and to the prohibitions conferred and imposed on the private sector.

Bodies. The Authority for the supervision of public procurement. The relationship between the European Commission and the Antitrust Authority.

The relationship between competition and public procurement. The relationship with the principles of administrative action.

Contracts concluded by the Public administration. Contract types. Contextual and deferred performance contracts. Specificities.

Systems of awarding contracts. Performance of the contract, allocation of risk and liability. Public regulation and private law in the performance of the contract.

Public procurement. Changes in progress. Public works concession contract. The conditions for awarding a public works concession contract. General contractor. Project financing.

The organization of competitors.

Legal remedies.

The competitive and anti-competitive effects determined by the awarding systems.

The discretion of the public administration in the public evidence procedure, effects on the level of market competitiveness. Transparency and its extension. The problem of information. The definition of the participation requirements and its effects on competition and on the organization of competitors. Choice of the award criteria: automatic methods, tender most economically advantageous criterion. The so-called anomalous tender.

The effects of the competitors' organization on the competitiveness of the awarding procedure.

Readings/Bibliography

The following material is recommended to prepare the exam and and broaden the knowledge of the topic:

1) Argentati A., Il principio di concorrenza e la regolazione amministrativa dei mercati, Torino, Giappichelli, 2008 - Capitolo I, pp. 55-132.

Or

Pappalardo A., Il diritto comunitario della concorrenza : profili sostanziali : la disciplina delle intese, gli accordi orizzontali, gli accordi verticali, l'abuso di posizione dominante, le concentrazioni di imprese, il trasferimento di tecnologia, regole di concorrenza e poteri pubblici, i settori speciali, Torino, UTET giuridica, 2007.

 2) D'Alberti M., Interesse pubblico e concorrenza nel codice dei contratti pubblici, in Diritto amministrativo, 2008, fasc. 2, pp. 297 e ss.. (Testo riveduto della relazione presentata al Convegno Il Codice dei contratti un anno dopo, tenutosi al Consiglio di Stato il 19 ottobre 2007).

3) Carullo A., Lezioni di diritto pubblico dell'economia, Padova, Cedam, 2005 - Parte Quarta, Capitolo I, pp. 225-233.

4) Cartei G. F., Finanza di progetto e modelli partenariali Pubblico-Privati: profili critici, in Id. (a cura di), Responsabilità e concorrenza nel codice dei contrati pubblici, Napoli, Editoriale Scientifica, 2008, pp. 219-250.

5) Viciconte G., La protezione multilivello della concorrenza nel settore degli appalti pubblici, in Cartei G. F. (a cura di), Responsabilità e concorrenza nel codice dei contrati pubblici, Napoli, Editoriale Scientifica, 2008, pp. 163-218.

6) Fidone G., Gambuto S., Mele G., Meccanismi elusivi e limitazioni della concorrenza nella prassi amministrativa degli appalti pubblici, WP Confindustria.

7) Cafagno M., Lo Stato banditore: gare e servizi locali, Milano, Giuffrè, 2001, Parte II.

Assessment methods

Oral exam.

Office hours

See the website of Daniele Senzani