The global economic downturn has put competition policy under strain. Faced with tight budgets and pressure to preserve their industry base, competition authorities are having to adapt their approaches.

How can enforcement be made leaner, faster and more dynamic? Policy-makers, politicians and industry will discuss different approaches to cross-border cooperation, remedies, settlements and other procedural issues, focusing in particular on the extractive industries and new technology markets.

• Should competition enforcement reflect the economic difficulties that businesses are experiencing, eg by allowing national or regional champions and cartels?
• Should legal and/or procedural convergence between regulators be increased, and how?
• To what extent do protectionist trends in competition law-making hamper M&A transactions?
• In new media, does competition now move at the speed of light, and can regulators keep pace?