This book investigates the legal framework and practical application of Article 86 (formerly Article 90) of the EC Treaty regarding exclusive rights and state-granted monopolies. The author, Jose Luis Buendia Sierra, leverages his professional background at DG IV to provide a comprehensive analysis of how these competition rules interact with state-owned enterprises and exclusive rights. The text establishes a rigorous legal framework for understanding the intersection of European competition policy and national economic sovereignty.

Legal practitioners and scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of European competition law. Experts highlight the author's unique perspective as a former official at DG IV, which provides significant depth to the analysis of regulatory enforcement.