The abuse of economic dependence is a practice forbidden by the Portuguese Competition Act. Although not expressly foreseen by European Union competition law, some Member States have similar prohibited practices in their laws. An abuse of economic dependence consists in the abusive exploitation by one undertaking of the economic dependence of another undertaking due to the absence for the latter of an equivalent alternative for the supply of goods or the provision of services, insofar as such behaviour may affect the functioning of the market or the structure of competition. In order for an abuse of economic dependence to be ascertained, the following essential requirements must be met: