Policy field
Competition: Antitrust and merger control
Period of consultation
From 08.11.2022 to 13.01.2023
Objective of the consultation
The consultation was carried out in the context of the ongoing review of the Market Definition Notice. The purpose of the consultation was to gather stakeholders’ opinion in relation to the draft revised Market Definition Notice, first rendered public on 8 November 2022.
On 12 July 2021, the European Commission published a staff working document summarising the findings of the evaluation of the Commission’s Market Definition Notice used in EU competition law (OJ C 372, 9.12.1997, p. 5–13, ‘the Notice’).
The Commission published the Notice in 1997 to explain how it applies the concept of relevant product and geographic market in enforcing EU competition law (Art. 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in merger control under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004). The evaluation – included in the Commission’s 2021 work programme – showed that the Notice remains highly relevant and effective in providing correct, comprehensive and clear guidance on key issues of market definition and the Commission’s approach to it. At the same time, the evaluation also suggested that the Notice does not fully reflect developments in best practices in market definition that have taken place since 1997
View the consultation document
- 08.11.2022 - draft revised Market Definition Notice [all EU official languages]
Contributions to the consultation on the draft revised text of the Market Definition Notice
- The non-confidential replies to the consultation (zip file)
- The joint statement by the ECN national competition authorities on the review of the Market Definition notice
Background documents
- Press Release: Commission seeks feedback on draft revised Market Definition Notice, 8 November 2022
- Press release: Commission publishes findings of evaluation of Market Definition Notice, 12 July 2021.
- Commission staff working document - Evaluation of the Commission notice on the definition of relevant market for the purposes of the Community competition law of 9 December 1997.
- DG COMP’s website on the evaluation of the Market Definition Notice
Contact details
Responsible service:
Directorate-General for Competition – Unit A2
Please always indicate the reference number in your correspondence: HT.5789
e-mail: COMP-REVISION-OF-THE-MARKET-DEFINITION-NOTICE
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (COMP-REVISION-OF-THE-MARKET-DEFINITION-NOTICE[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Postal address:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Competition, Unit A2
Merger Registry
1049 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgique / België
Ref.: HT.5789
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Related links
Public Consultations on Competition Policy
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