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The definition of the relevant market is distinctly important with regards to the application of the competition law rules.While it is not an aim in itself, the definition of the relevant market serves as a tool in establishing the basic ground for the competition rules to assess the competition in a given market.For example, to apply Article 102 TFEU (for which the existence of a dominant position in a given market is a precondition for application) the relevant market has to be defined in the first place. It is also crucially important to define the relevant market as a first step to the application of the merger regulation.Moreover, it is essential to define the relevant market in relation to the application of Article 101 TFEU, in order to determine whether or not an agreement which has as its effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition and to the determination of whether or not the agreement in question considerably restricts or eliminates competition in the common market.The relevant market often has three dimensions: the product dimension, the geographic dimension and the time dimension. However, in some markets the temporal dimension does not exist. We are concerned, here, with the temporal dimension of the relevant market, its definition, importance and how it is applied in practice.
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