The project's objective is to explore how legal informatics could foster the mechanization of antitrust analyses and procedures. On the one hand, computational antitrust can provide companies with the tools to assess and ensure compliance with antitrust laws–before implementing new practices. It can also help them automate their interactions with antitrust agencies, starting with merger control. On the other hand, agencies can use computational tools to improve their assessment of (anti-competitive) practices or mergers, benefit from more accurate data, and simplify their processes.
The project started in 2021 with the plan to organize workshops and invite authors to publish regular articles at the intersection between antitrust and computational techniques. The fast-driven digital developments force competition agencies to improve their knowledge and skills in the field of Computational Antitrust in order provide efficient enforcement. The Authority, therefore, greatly supports the initiative.