2022 ICN Merger Workshop, March 29-April 1
Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense CADE is pleased to invite you to the 2022 ICN Merger Workshop.
The Workshop will offer insight into current merger-related topics and post-pandemic scenarios, bringing together ICN members and non-governmental advisors (NGAs) to discuss a range of competition enforcement and antitrust matters, competitive concerns, merger reporting issues, and remedies, including recent challenges authorities have been facing and new digital solutions developed to address them.
The workshop will be held in Salvador, Brazil, between 29 March and 1 April as a hybrid event.
The event will be live streamed for ICN members and registered NGAs.
More information, including registration, is available on the workshop website: ICN 2022 SALVADOR, (cade.gov.br)
Please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] should you have any additional questions regarding for the Merger Workshop 2022.
ICN Chair's Statement
2 March 2022
ICN Chair’s Statement – Current events in Ukraine
The International Competition Network (ICN) is a network of 140 competition authorities from 130 jurisdictions. The ICN was founded to facilitate cooperation and convergence between authorities worldwide. Russia’s competition authority, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Russian Federation (FAS Russia) and the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine are both members of the ICN.
As a global community of competition agencies, the ICN’s activities take place on a voluntary basis and rely on a high degree of goodwill and cooperation among members. ICN Members are in continuous contact, working together to improve competition policy and cooperation between authorities. Members of the network regularly meet to develop common standards and exchange views.
Based on Section 3.4 iv (e) of the ICN’s Operational Framework, the Chair is responsible for the “general conduct of the affairs of the ICN where not otherwise specified to be within the responsibility of any Group or Committee.” In light of the current events in Ukraine and their impact on collaboration among ICN members, the conduct of the affairs of the network is impeded and needs to be addressed.
The ICN Chair at the request of Steering Group members and other ICN members has reviewed FAS Russia’s participation in the network. After consultation with the members of the Steering Group the Chair has decided to suspend FAS Russia’s participation in ICN activities.
Should the circumstances change, the ICN Chair, after consultation with Steering Group members will reconsider and adapt this position.
FAS Russia has been informed accordingly.
Andreas Mundt
ICN Chair
2022 ICN-WBG Competition Advocacy Contest
The International Competition Network and the World Bank Group are pleased to announce the launch of the 2022 Competition Advocacy Contest, which follows the successful experience of the previous seven joint editions.
The general topic of the Contest is “Preserving markets for sustained economic recovery: the role of competition advocacy after two years of Covid-19”. We are looking for success stories from competition agencies, other government bodies or non-governmental organizations that demonstrate the tangible results of competition advocacy regarding:
Theme 1. Mitigating the risks of increased concentration and state participation in markets
Theme 2. Spreading the benefits of the digital economy
Theme 3. Engaging through results: successful experiences in planning, implementing, and monitoring advocacy strategies in times of crises.
The deadline for submissions is March 14th, 2022.
For more information and details on how to apply, please visit the contest webpage.
We welcome your participation!
2022 ICN Working Group video updates
The 2022 working group updates on work product and activities for the 2021-22 ICN year and previews for next year will be made available here. Stay tuned!
Double Replay! 2021 Merger Working Group seminars on remedies
Now available! The Merger Working Group 2021 seminars on remedies are now posted.
- Substantive Discussion of Structural and Behavioural Remedies (4 November 2021)
- Coordination of Multijurisdictional Merger Remedies (11 November 2021)
Enjoy viewing and re-viewing these videos via the link below.
Implementing Effective Leniency Programs -- CWG webinar 26 January
Please join us to the first webinar of the Cartel Working Group on “Implementing Effective Leniency Programs: Lessons Learnt and Challenges Ahead” which will take place on 26 January 2022 (Wednesday) at – 2:00 pm CET – Europe Time.
Moderator:
– Mr Pedro Callol – Partner, Callol, Coca & Asociados , Spain
Speakers:
– Mr Juan David Gutiérrez- Professor, Universidad del Rosario, Colombia
– Mr David Fernández – Advisor of the Direction of Investigation and Promotion of Defense of Competition, INDECOPI, Peru
– Ms Armine Hakobyan – Deputy Director of the Department of Competition and Public Procurement Policy, Eurasian Economic Commission
– Mr Nick Wilkins- Principal Adviser Criminalization, Cartel Investigations Team, New Zealand Commerce Commission, New Zealand
– Mr David Anderson – Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, Belgium
With the increased enforcement efforts against cartels, many ICN member agencies have adopted leniency programs over the years. “Leniency programs” are an important instrument in the fight against cartels since competition agencies can more easily uncover and sanction cartel participants by protecting the first applicant immune from punishment or by giving other applicants reduced sanctions. Information or evidence can be obtained “first-hand” and faster by competition agencies. They also form a deterrence mechanism for those who plan to be a part of cartel arrangements.
On the other hand, there are also some challenges that might prevent effective and efficient leniency programs such as private enforcement and regulatory interventions. Furthermore, the globalization of business and the consequent rise in the number of cartels with international scope together poses new difficulties and challenges in the investigation, in light of the proliferation of leniency systems among competition authorities, highlighting the importance of increased co-operation on both procedural and substantive issues.
The ICN CWG has addressed these issues in many of its work products, including Guidance on Enhancing Cross-Border Leniency Cooperation (2020) http://internationalcompetitionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CWG-Leniency-Coordination-Guidance.pdf and Report on Good Practices for Incentivising Leniency Applications (2019) http://internationalcompetitionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/CWG-Good-practices-for-incentivising-leniency.pdf
For more information about this seminar, please contact the organiser at: [email protected]
2022 ICN Advocacy Workshop, 9-10 February
The Spanish National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) is pleased to invite you to the 2022 ICN Advocacy Workshop. During the two-day event, ICN members as well as non-governmental advisors (NGAs) will have the opportunity to share their experiences on current topics such as the role competition advocacy in the economic recovery, the value of competition beyond market efficiency, the challenges posed by digitalisation or the impact of competition policies on labour markets, among other topics.
REGISTRATION
The Workshop will be held online, from 9 to 10 February 2022. Prior registration is needed. Agenda and registration are available at the event webpage: https://icn.cnmc.es/
The CNMC looks forward to meeting ICN member agencies and NGAs in February 2022! If you have any questions, you can write us at: [email protected]
ICN Virtual Spotlight with ACCC Chair Rod Sims
ICN Virtual SpotlightCompetition Enforcement in the Digital Economy
Rod Sims, Chair Australia Competition and Consumer Commission and ICN Vice Chair
Andreas Mundt, President Bundeskartellamt and ICN Chair
Andreas Mundt and Rod Sims on the future direction of competition enforcement in the digital economy
On 13 December ICN Chair Andreas Mundt sat down for a candid discussion with Rod Sims, Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Rod is the ICN Vice Chair for Digital Coordination and Asia Pacific Liaison. In this 1:1 spotlight Andreas and Rod pondered the future direction of competition enforcement in the digital economy.
Please click the link below for video of the the webinar.
2022 Annual Conference, Berlin
The 2022 ICN Annual Conference will take place in Berlin, 4-6 May
2021-2022 ICN Kickoff call: November 24
Join us for a
“Kickoff Call” for the new ICN Year
Hear from the ICN Working Groups on New Work Product & How to Get Involved in this Year’s Projects
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
08:00– 09:15 (Ottawa) / 14:00-15:15 (Bonn)
Join us for this kickoff call of the new ICN year. The Co-chairs from each ICN working group – Advocacy, Agency Effectiveness, Cartels, Mergers, and Unilateral Conduct – will present new work product, work plans for 2021/2022, and opportunities to participate in this year’s projects. You also will hear about various ICN projects, plans for promoting implementation and a preview of the upcoming 2022 ICN annual conference. Member agencies please forward to your NGAs. Please find the relevant information to join the call:
https://ftc.zoomgov.com/j/1611699637?pwd=TlJBMWFVL0hwL3BMV1RsZzZyQllQQT09
Meeting ID: 161 169 9637
Passcode: .5wu8J
Dial by your location:
Find your local number: https://ftc.zoomgov.com/u/au1BVEHvN
+1 551 285 1373 US
Meeting ID: 161 169 9637
We look forward to speaking with you on Wednesday.