This clear and concise textbook presents EU competition law in political, economic and comparative context. It combines excerpts from key EU rulings with discussions of enforcement policy issues and comparisons with US antitrust cases. Untangling the complex set of factors driving individual outcomes, it is the perfect companion for any student or practitioner in the field. Successive chapters explore the tools used by competition authorities in Europe: to punish cartels that fix prices or divide markets; assess cooperative agreements between rival firms and supplier-customer relationships; to establish a dominant position and find abuses; and review the competitive effects of mergers and acquisitions. The book also explains how authorities determine when business restraints infringe on the principles governing the EU internal market, and when Member States contravene the rules protecting the European competition system including by means of subsidies known as State aids. More than a reference tool, this innovative book provides a rounded account of the various dimensions of EU competition law, of its place at the heart of the EU market integration project and of its relevance for the enforcement of antitrust principles worldwide. Key features: provides a clear, concise and up-to-date presentation of the law includes important excerpts from all seminal competition decisions and judgements of the European Commission and the EU Courts explains the critical nuances of cases by means of contextual notes and questions integrates law, economics and other policies, providing a holistic sense of competition law and its place in the European system compares EU competition law with US antitrust law, analysing the root of their differences and enabling the reader to derive comparative insights supports general and advanced EU and international competition law courses.