What is the difference between antitrust laws and competition laws?

Antitrust law and competition law are both used to promote and protect competition in the marketplace. While similar in purpose, there are key differences between the two. Antitrust law is a set of federal and state laws which prohibits anticompetitive practices. Its purpose is to maintain competition and protect consumers from unfair business practices. Competition law, on the other hand, is a set of regulations that promote fair competition in markets. These laws restrict certain practices that are seen as anticompetitive, such as price fixing and other arrangements that violate free market principles. In Vermont, antitrust law is handled by the Vermont Attorney General Office’s Antitrust Division. The division’s mission is to ensure a competitive marketplace through vigorous enforcement of antitrust statutes. They investigate claims of violations and work to resolve disputes without resorting to litigation. Competition law is handled by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC oversees the conduct of businesses to ensure that markets are operating in an economically efficient manner and to prevent and punish anticompetitive behavior. In summary, antitrust law seeks to prevent anticompetitive conduct while competition law seeks to promote fair competition. Both are needed to ensure a competitive marketplace and to protect consumers from unfair business practices.

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What is the difference between antitrust laws and competition laws?

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