Market Regulation and Business-Client Relationships

Many authors think that in BtoB relations there is no reason to extend the consumer protection to firms, at least if the firms are sophisticated economic actors (e.g., the General Electric Company). This seminar examines what happens in a case in which the firm cannot be considered a sophisticated economic actor; and explains why firms that cannot be considered sophisticated economic actors should only be protected when they act outside their core business.

Dr Maria Rosaria Maugeri is Full Professor of Private Law at the University of Catania and Jean Monnet Chair in "European Civil Law, specialising in Contract, Consumer and Competition Law, with particular interest in Europe. She is founding Co-Director of the Observatory of Civil and Commercial Law. She is also Member of Directorate of the Italian Civil law Association and of the Advisory Board of SECOLA (Society of European Contract Law).