Economic Justification of the Criminal Law Policy in the Field of Competition Protection

The importance of criminal law protection of competition is determined by the important role that competition plays in a market economy, namely, its ability to promote the growth of public welfare, as well as the socially dangerous consequences of acts that are directed against it. The need for state intervention in the economy, especially in the field of competition, is basically a recognized position in economic science. However, there is a discussion among researchers about the problems of criminal law impact on the sphere of economic activity. A number of authors point out the importance of criminal liability for anti-competitive acts, as well as the need to expand the scope of criminal law impact on other manifestations of anti-competitive behavior.

The paper notes that the impact of criminal law on the economy is based not only on constitutional and legal guarantees of protection against monopolization and unfair competition, but also on economically justified reasons. Applying the economic approach the author conducted the study of the impact of anti-competitive violations on public welfare and the economy. As a result, the author notes the relatively similar nature of the negative consequences of different types of anti-competitive acts. The scale of such consequences led to the recognition of the anti-competitive actions considered in the paper as market failures that require state intervention. Particular attention is given to the economic justification of the criminalization of cartels, acts of corruption in the field of competition, unfair competition.

Based on the criminal-legal approach, taking into account the economic analysis of the consequences of anticompetitive acts, the conclusion is made about the degree of their public danger, about the impossibility of excluding criminal legal counteraction to such behavior, despite the fact that decriminalization of individual acts can be effective if the state takes the necessary measures.

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