EH20147632 Art. From paradise to hell. Post-war cartel policy and practice in the Netherlands

Abstract

The Dutch case seems to provide an exception with respect to the dominant view of cartelization. In the postwar period cartels actually suited Dutch government policy directed at economic reconstruction and growth through regulation and co-ordination. This led to light-touch legislation in relation to competition, and cartels were not illegal. In most cases this contrasted strongly with European and US policies. The Netherlands subsequently ended up with the dubious reputation of being a cartel paradise. While this changed in the 1990s with closer European integration and tougher legislation, it nonetheless remained clear that the Netherlands were a latecomer. Dutch businesses clung to their policy of cooperating and colluding and the Dutch business system appears to have maintained a strong tendency towards coordination for quite a long time after this.