Professor Korah’s book is the third in her series of “monographs” on recent EEC competition legislation. Having covered exclusive distribution and purchasing in 1984 and patent licensing in 1985, the author now provides a detailed commentary on Commission Regulation 418/85, which contains the block exemption for categories of research and development agreements.

The book takes the form of a general introduction to research and development agreements under EEC competition law followed by a detailed commentary on the text of the Regulation, including its preamble. There is a final chapter with conclusions and some fairly candid advice on tactics, particularly on the disadvantages of notifying agreements not exempted by the Regulation. The Appendices contain selected Treaty articles and the text of the Regulation itself, including the author’s own sub-headings and cross-references, which are useful, particularly those which relate the recitals to the text.

As may be expected from an author of this eminence and experience, the textual commentary is penetrating and scholarly. Those readers familiar with Professor Korah’s style will easily recognize its characteristics but others may find the text occasionally cryptic. On the other hand, a very large amount of material has been squeezed into a relatively short space