Effective international co-operation requires participation from competition officials across all economies, developed and emerging. The OECD and its Competition Committee facilitate co-operation through the Global Forum on Competition that brings together over 110+ competition authorities, international organisations and invited experts worldwide each year. The OECD also operates three Regional Centres for Competition which provide capacity building assistance and policy advice through workshops, seminars and training programmes on competition law and policy for countries in each region regardless of their OECD membership status.
Competition and international co-operation
Globalisation and the digital economy have increased the number of competition policy issues and international enforcement cases. Co-operation between jurisdictions is therefore crucial to promote the economic and welfare goals of sound competition policy at both a national and global level. This ensures that competition law is effectively enforced globally and improves the framework of techniques and tools needed for effective international competition enforcement. It also facilitates effective international business compliance and fosters trust and transparency between jurisdictions.
Key messages
Effective and efficient co-operation among authorities has become key to effective competition enforcement to the benefit of consumers, businesses and the public in general. The OECD and its Competition Committee create recommendations, best practices guidelines and policy roundtables focused on international co-operation. These OECD materials have been used as the model and inspiration for national policy initiatives and have helped to facilitate co-operation between countries.
By collecting, analysing and publishing data gathered across countries, the OECD can develop a better understanding of the current status of co-operation and promote the importance of co-operation to those competition authorities who are not yet deeply engaged in cross-border competition co-operation. Current data projects include the International Cartels database, Competition Enforcement Co-operation database and two inventories of co-operation agreements on competition.
Context
Opportunities to co-operate are increasing
For effective and efficient enforcement of competition law in a globalised economy, national competition authorities must have the ability to co-operate with each other on these cross-border matters. The OECD has produced best practice materials to enable competition authorities to draft, establish and utilise co-operation agreements between authorities.
OECD Global Forum on Competition
Established in 2001, each year the OECD Global Forum on Competition brings together high-level officials from more than 100 competition authorities worldwide, including both OECD and non-OECD economies. Joining with representatives of international organisations and invited experts, participants debate and discuss key topics on the global competition agenda. With a broad focus on development, the Forum promotes a wider dialogue that aims to build strong connections between enforcement authorities and enhance co-operation.
