The Twenty-Second Session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy commenced today, July 3, 2024, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. During the opening plenary, the discussion underscored the significant impact of a global organisation in advancing competition culture and providing robust support for case handlers. Participants advocated for increased involvement with the International Competition Network (ICN) to strengthen global competition enforcement and foster innovation. Their observations highlighted diverse perspectives and collaborative efforts driving international competition policy, with a particular emphasis on promoting fair market practices and sustainable economic development worldwide.
 

The key takeaways from the session included:

1. ICN's Global Influence and Guidelines: Established in 2000, the ICN guides 140 competition agencies with non-binding guidelines spanning mergers, cartels, unilateral conduct, and advocacy. Projects on agriculture, food markets, and digital issues like AI promote global best practices.
2. Global Outreach and Inclusivity: The ICN promotes global cooperation through events in Kenya, Mexico, and Taiwan, engaging young agencies with leadership roles and funding support. Regular updates and annual engagements bolster member involvement and readiness for initiatives.
3. Georgia's Enforcement Success: Georgia's Consumer Defence Agency achieved significant results in competition law enforcement, particularly in pharmaceuticals and fuel sectors, demonstrating a commitment to fair market practices and consumer protection through proactive global collaborations.
4. Global Cooperation Challenges: Representatives emphasised global cooperation in competition policy, addressing challenges in digital economies to ensure fairness. Their focus on technical aid and capacity building aims at inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction through robust competition policies.
5. SIDS' Concerns and Framework Needs: The SIDS group raised concerns about digital transformation and market dominance, advocating for robust competition frameworks to protect economic growth and consumer welfare in vulnerable small economies.
6. Iraq's Competition Council Efforts: Iraq's focus on establishing and strengthening its Competition Council includes capacity building, sector-specific guidelines, and regional collaboration to enforce competition laws and foster economic growth.
7. African Group's Priorities: The African Group highlighted competition law's role in promoting economic efficiency and equitable development, emphasising capacity building, technical support, and regional cooperation to enhance resilience in digital integration and supply chains across the continent.

The Voluntary Peer Review on Competition Law and Policy for Egypt, held on 3 July 2024 at Palais des Nations in Geneva, aimed to assess the effectiveness of Egypt's competition law, identify challenges, and recommend improvements in its legal and institutional frameworks. It focused on Egypt's legal, institutional, and operational aspects of consumer protection. The session proceeded with the presentation of the report, followed by questions and discussions involving various experts and delegates. The review offered Egypt's competition authority an opportunity to learn from other jurisdictions and apply the findings to strengthen its competition regime.
 


The key takeaway points from this session included:

• Participants noted that the peer review of the Egyptian Competition Authority's operations and policies marked a significant milestone, demonstrating a commitment to transparency and continuous improvement in fostering competitive and fair markets.
• The vital role of the support and collaboration from various experts and institutions in the peer review's success was commended.
• ECA's mission focuses on promoting innovation, efficiency, and confidence in the Egyptian economy by enhancing competition, with the peer review providing an opportunity to evaluate practices, benchmark against international standards, and implement recommendations.
• Insights from the peer review are expected to guide similar regional agencies, promoting shared experiences and best practices to elevate competition enforcement standards.
• ECA is committed to enhancing competition policy nationally and regionally to create a fair and competitive marketplace that benefits innovation and consumer welfare.
• The ECA was commended for its voluntary peer review, reflecting good governance, with questions raised about its impact assessment, monitoring of behavioural remedies, and the feasibility of granting it the power to issue administrative sanctions and implement remedies.
• The importance of ECA's independence and the impact of budgetary limitations on its effectiveness were discussed, noting that a distant relationship with the competent minister can help ECA take action against government bodies.
• ECA was commended for its flexibility and development, with an interest expressed in learning from Egypt's experiences.
• Egypt's legislative progress was praised, along with a desire for continued cooperation, especially in merger control.
• Advocacy for treating harmful practices as categorical prohibitions to streamline enforcement emphasised flexibility in competition law and suggested using market shares and new analytical techniques for assessing dominance.