Competition law and policy in Spain: implementation in an interventionist tradition

Until recently, competition law in Spain placed virtually no limitations on firms’ behaviour, as the first Spanish competition law, enacted in 1963 and in effect until 1988, was never actually enforced. However, the enactment of the 1978 Spanish Constitution and Spain’s accession to the European Community in 1986 generated a process of economic liberalization and a gradual drop in state intervention in the market. Since 1989, when a new competition law was enacted, the enforcement of competition law has become increasingly important.