BALTIC JOURNAL OF LAW & POLITICS VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1 (2013) ISSN 2029-0454 http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/bjlp Cit.: Baltic Journal of Law & Politics 6:1 (2013): 1-26 DOI: 10.2478/bjlp-2013-0001 MERGER REMEDIES IN A SMALL MARKET ECONOMY: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE BALTIC STATES Alexandr Svetlicinii Senior Researcher Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn Law School (Estonia) Contact information Address: Akadeemia tee 3, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia Phone: +372 620 2422 E-mail address:
[email protected] Külliki Lugenberg Adviser Estonian Competition Authority, Competition Division, Merger Control Department (Estonia) Contact information Address: Auna 6, 10317 Tallinn, Estonia Phone: +372 667 2483 E-mail address:
[email protected] Received: February 4, 2013; reviews: 2; accepted: May 20, 2013. ABSTRACT The paper represents a comparative study of the merger remedies practices of the three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Based on comprehensive merger control data (2004-2011) and a comparative assessment of merger remedies imposed by the NCAs in the selected economic sectors (telecoms, alcoholic beverages, construction materials, trade in pharmaceuticals) the study identifies trends and tendencies of merger control that are characteristic for small market economies. Despite harmonization of national competition laws and enforcement practices with the EU rules and standards, the study highlights an obvious divergence from the EU guidance expressed in increasing acceptance of behavioral commitments. The results of the assessment indicate the need to develop more specific BALTIC JOURNAL OF LAW & POLITICS ISSN 2029-0454 VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1 2013 guidance on behavioral remedies that would better reflect the merger control realities of small market economies.