The Impact of European Community Antitrust Law on United States Companies

This Article examines two developments which have made EC competition (or anti-trust) law increasingly important to non- EC companies. First, the European Court\u27s ruling in the Woodpulp case has confirmed the Commission\u27s jurisdiction to apply EC competition law to companies whose agreements or practices affect competition within the Community, even where those companies are based outside, and have no place of business within, the Community. The Article examines the implications of the judgment. Secondly, in preparation for 1992, more and more non-EC companies are acquiring shareholdings in, or forming joint ventures with, EC companies, and competition law has an important impact on this trend. The Article concentrates particularly on the relevance of these developments for United States companies