Antitrust and Trade Regulation Commons^™

Federalism And Concurrent Jurisdiction In Global Markets: Why A Combination Of National And State Antitrust Enforcement Is A Model For Effective Economic Regulation, Katherine M. Jones

Katherine M. Jones

The focus of the article is on the proper role of U.S. state governments in regulating international business. The specific issue analyzed is the desirability of having state attorneys general enforce federal antitrust laws in global markets concurrently with federal antitrust regulators. Congress granted state officials this power in 1976. In 2009, however, a large proportion of the world’s commerce is now conducted in international, rather than national markets. This development has led Judge Richard A. Posner and others to advocate that the states be stripped of their statutory power to enforce federal antitrust laws on behalf of their residents …