Seminar Series on the Global Dimension of Competition Law Enforcement: International Cooperation and Friction

Rachel Brandenburger, a former Special Advisor, International to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and a private practitioner, will lead two seminars focusing on US antitrust, and on International cooperation and friction.

Seminar 1 - US antitrust law - key decisions and current debate

Friday, 21 February 2020 - 12h15-14h00

Seminar 2 - International cooperation and friction

Friday, 28 February 2020 - 12h15-14h00

Refreshments and sandwich lunch will be provided

Introduction

Almost every day, we read or hear about an enforcement action being taken by a competition agency somewhere around the world – in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, or Latin America.  An investigation may be opened, a search undertaken, a fine or prohibition imposed, or a settlement reached.

Today’s world of over 120 competition law regimes spread all around the globe is a far cry from 100 years ago when only the United States and Canada had competition (or antitrust) laws – or over 60 years ago when the EU’s competition law regime was established – or even 17 years ago when the International Competition Network was set up with only 14 signatories.

This global explosion of competition law enforcement – especially in emerging jurisdictions – is a game changer. It is having an impact on the development of competition law and policy around the world, as well as on business practices, customers, and employees. Businesses are adjusting their strategies and risk assessments to account for these changes, and policy makers and scholars are debating whether or not the competition laws and policies in the newer jurisdictions are –  or can be – or should be –  consistent with those of the longer established regimes such as those in Europe and the United States.

At the same time, some of the longer established regimes are facing questions about whether their enforcement policies have been effective and what the scope of competiton law should be.

The seminar series aims to explore these global trends by discussing a selection of landmark decisions and judgments, and the growing number of protocols, policy statements and other forms of guidance that increasingly characterize the global enforcement of competition law.