Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Arbetsrapport,
Institute for Futures Studies

No 2006:8: Competition Policy and the Swedish Model

Torbjörn Lundqvist ()
Additional contact information
Torbjörn Lundqvist: Institute for Futures Studies, Postal: Box 591, SE-101 31 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present some findings from a study on the development of competition policy in Sweden since 1945. The comprehensive questions are about the view on knowledge in competition policy, the trust to the Swedish model, the change of the model and what has replaced it, and the attitudes to competition and co-operation in politics, authorities and interest groups. The study is basically built on government bills and directives to committees, committee reports, and comments on the later from authorities and interest groups.

Typical signs of the Swedish model were a consensus and co-operative attitude towards interest conflict, with institutional arrangements aimed for negotiations and pragmatism. This was also typical for competition policy. During the 1990s we find a change to an EU-model. It meant a transition to a more legalistic and theoretic view on competition.

When it comes to attitudes they changed successively in the direction of favouring competition before co-operation. The change was however radical when it comes to politicians and competition authorities. Not least the later came to argue for an “antitrust” view on competition. However, business interests were sceptical to the new competition law copying the EU-model.

Keywords: competition policy; Swedish model

JEL-codes: N00

25 pages, May 2006

Price: 25 SEK

Note: ISSN 1652-120X; ISBN 13: 978-91-89655-91-1; ISBN 10;91-89655-91-5

Full text files

20060608135846fil94pMI31F5PfZ1wM0yb5D.pdf PDF-file 

Download statistics

Questions (including download problems) about the papers in this series should be directed to Erika Karlsson ()
Report other problems with accessing this service to Sune Karlsson ().

This page generated on 2024-02-05 17:11:52.