The Treaty of Rome, whose eighty-fifth article forbade agreements with the purpose of fixing prices or stifling competition, served as the first vehicle for the introduction of competition law into the Economic Community of Europe. The European Competition Commission was given guidance in using...

By preventing the formation of cartels and monopolies, which would have a negative effect on the common market, competition laws are put in place to improve and ensure a competitive market. To prevent mergers that would reduce competition, there is a complex system of merger controls. The Treaty...