The Norwegian Competition Authority has revealed the winners of its prestigious Master's Prize for 2024. Kenneth Hartmann and Hien Nguyen Thi Thu received the award for the best thesis in competition economics, while Savvas Julian Johnstad Gabor was honored for the best thesis in competition law. Each winner received a cash prize of 25,000 Norwegian kroner.

The winning thesis in competition economics, titled 'Restrictive covenants in the Norwegian grocery market: an empirical study,' was authored by Hartmann and Nguyen Thi Thu from the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH). The committee praised their work for analyzing the impact of negative covenants in the Norwegian grocery sector, a topic that is both relevant to competition policy and underexplored in academic literature. Their extensive data analysis mapped the prevalence of negative covenants in local grocery markets in Norway and estimated their effects on market concentration, sales, and proximity to competing stores. The committee noted that the empirical analysis was thorough and well-considered, with findings discussed effectively.

The competition law prize was awarded to Savvas Julian Johnstad Gabor for his thesis titled 'Agreements That Mitigate Climate Change and the Prohibition of Anticompetitive Agreements in Article 101 TFEU,' written at the University of Oslo (UiO). This thesis addresses three key issues related to corporate cooperation and climate collaboration, exploring how sustainability considerations can be integrated while balancing other concerns. The committee highlighted the well-structured and critically balanced approach of the thesis, which provides a comprehensive analysis of a highly relevant and debated topic in competition law. Gabor's work discusses essential legal issues while offering valuable independent reflections on case law.

The contributions were evaluated by a committee including senior economist Hans-Petter Håvås Hanson from the Norwegian Competition Authority and legal director Karin Stakkestad Laastad, along with professors from the University of Oslo.