Spaces and interfaces between regulation and competition: the approach of cade

O presente artigo avalia o posicionamento do CADE com relacao aos espacos concorrenciais inseridos em setores regulados. Duas vertentes podem ser vislumbradas: (i) atuacao sobre a propria delimitacao dos espacos concorrenciais i.e., promocao da competicao em setores onde ela inexiste) e (ii) protecao dos espacos concorrenciais ja abertos pela regulacao i.e., prevencao e repressao a infracoes contra a ordem economica nos espacos competitivos dos mercados regulados). Argumenta-se que nas situacoes em que a abertura desses espacos nao foi determinada expressamente pelo legislador, o CADE vem aplicando o direito antitruste de forma mais cautelosa, apreciando a compatibilidade da politica regulatoria frente ao direito antitruste, mas, como resultado, apenas requerendo ou solicitando as autoridades regulatorias providencias para o cumprimento da lei concorrencial. Ja nos espacos concorrenciais abertos expressamente pela lei e pela regulamentacao, ou quando reconhecida a sujeicao do setor as regras concorrenciais, o CADE tem exercido plenamente sua competencia de adjudicacao da concorrencia, em uma clara lideranca em relacao aos orgaos reguladores.//This paper discusses CADEs approach towards competition spaces comprised in regulated industries. Two approaches can be distinguished: (i) activities in creating competition spaces (i.e., fostering competition in industries where it is non-existent); and (ii) protection of competition spaces opened by industry regulation (i.e., prevention and enforcement against antitrust violation in competition spaces within regulated markets). It is argued that under the situations where such spaces have not been established by the legislator, CADE enforces competition law in a cautious way, evaluating the compatibility of the regulatory policy with competition law but, as the final outcome, only requesting or asking regulatory authorities to adopt the needed provisions for enforcing competition law. However, considering competition spaces expressly opened by legislation or regulation, or else when duly acknowledged the application of competition law in the regulated industry, CADE has fully exerted its tasks in competition adjudication, in a clear leadership position in relation to regulatory authorities. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pi d=S1808 -24322016000100013&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng= pt] por