There is a lively debate about whether fundamental changes are needed to existing competition policy frameworks. Proposals include legislative changes to capture a wider range of potentially anticompetitive mergers and conduct, to accelerate competition enforcement actions, or to enable different evidentiary standards and remedies. Others are proposing that the fundamental objectives and focus of competition policy be broadened, to include the consideration of industrial policy, competitive neutrality in trade, inequality, resilience and sustainability. These proposals are taking on new urgency as governments seek to promote growth in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics of these proposals for fundamental change fear they will undermine the traditional focus of competition policy on consumers, and thus its effectiveness, suggesting that other regulators or policymakers may be better positioned to address these challenges.
In December 2020, the Global Forum on Competition sought to move this debate forward, and explored whether fundamental changes are needed to existing competition policy frameworks. The Forum opened with a keynote presentation followed by a panel discussion on this theme.
All related materials for the discussion are available on this page.
