InenforcingEUcompetitionlaw,theCommissionemploysauniquedoctrineofparentalantitrustliability:itimposesfinesontheparentcompanyofaninfringingsubsidiaryincaseswheretheparentexercisesdecisiveinfluenceoverthesubsidiary’scommercialpolicy.CriticsofthiscontentiousaspectofEUcompetitionlawbelievethatthedoctrineisunfair,ineffective,obscure,disproportionate,contrarytodueprocess,andbaseduponadubious,ifnotextremelyflimsy,justificatoryfoundation.SuchcriticismraisesseriousandunansweredquestionsaboutthelegitimacyoftheCommission’seffortstoenforcecompetitionlaw.ParentalLiabilityinEUCompetitionLaw:ALegitimacy-FocusedApproachisthefirstmonographtobededicatedtothiscontroversialtopic.WrittenbyProfessorPeterWhelan,thebookcontendsthat,althoughthegeneralconceptofparentalliabilitycanbejustifiedinprinciple,thecurrentEU-leveldoctrineofparentalantitrustliabilityinfactsuffersfromadistinctandproblematiclackoflegitimacy.Morespecifically,thesaiddoctrinedisplayssignificantdeficiencieswithrespecttoeffectiveness,fairness,andlegality.Giventhisundesirablestateofaffairs,ParentalLiabilityinEUCompetitionLawoffersafully-rationalised,reformulatedapproachtoparentalantitrustliabilityforEUcompetitionlawviolationsthatisbuiltaroundthenotionofparentalfault.Thatapproachprovidesasolidnormativeaccountofhowtoimposeparentalantitrustliabilityinamannerthatistheoreticallyrobust,effectiveinpractice,fairinsubstance,andlegallysound.
