Global Forum on Competition 2019

The OECD Global Forum on Competition brings together every year competition officials from over 110 authorities and organisations worldwide.

In 2019, the Forum opened with a discussion on "Competition under Fire" featuring Angel Gurría (OECD Secretary General), a keynote address by Jean Tirole (2014 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences) and special remarks by Lord Tyrie. 

Four other sessions open to competition authorities only explored: Competition provisions in trade agreements, Merger control in dynamic markets and Competition for-the-market.

This session addressed the growing scepticism of competition, examining and responding to the broad criticisms which antitrust policy has been subject to in recent times. A keynote address was delivered by Jean Tirole (Honorary Chairman of the Jean-Jacques Laffont-Toulouse School of Economics Foundation ) and by Lord Andrew Tyrie (Chair,  UK Competition and Markets Authority).

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The majority of trade agreements include a competition policy chapter or individual competition provisions. This discussion considered the purpose and impact of these competition provisions in practice, to discuss their usefulness in broadening and strengthening the application of competition law worldwide. More information and materials at the discussion page.

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Parallel session: Digital case Lab

The Digital Lab was born out of desire to provide practical support to authorities seeking guidance on competition and the digital economy using OECD research. The Forum experimented with an innovative new format to share it’s expertise directly with authorities seeking advice and information on digital issues.

The modern competition dynamics observed in rapidly-evolving sectors, such as high-technology, consumer services and online retail, is challenging the role of competition authorities in merger control, where enforcement decisions fundamentally depend on an effects-based analysis of the likely future effects of the merger. Participants discussed on the topic to understand the relelevant timeframe of merger control and to try to determine how far into the future should authorities look when assessing the effects of a merger.

Break-out sessions focussed on the competitive assessment of mergers and efficiency effects and design of remedies.

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The topic was again explored during the 2020 OECD Competition Open Day. Watch the session available on replay

Some products have characteristics that lead firms to compete to be the supplier of a whole market of product or services, rather than for market share (whether it be a share of units, of contracts or of consumer relationships). This session focused on the first of these categories, natural monopolies, and publicly-funded monopolies, particularly on the enforcement challenges that arise when concessions are offered on these services. 

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