From price-fixing to wage-fixing: are labour markets the next frontier of public and private competition law enforcement?

The recent investigation launched by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) into an alleged cartel among producers of automated packaging machines is a timely illustration of an emerging trend in competition law enforcement. By placing labour market restrictions at the centre of its analysis, the AGCM joins a broader movement – both at EU and national level, but also beyond – that focuses on collusion among employers as a direct infringement of competition rules. Beyond public enforcement, such practices also foster closer attention to the potential use of private remedies as a means for affected workers to obtain compensation for the harm caused by collusion at the employer level.

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