Competition policy 2024

Join us to explore emerging themes in competition policy from evolving investigation and enforcement capabilities to merger controls and the digital economy.

Conference
21 November 2024 — 10:00AM TO 6:00PM
Chatham House
A statue of Lady Justice holding a sword and balancing scales on a sky blue background on top of the Old Bailey.

New tools for an evolving landscape

The competition policy landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Against the backdrop of shifting geopolitical dynamics and rising protectionism, competition authorities and antitrust regulators must navigate the increasing influence of non-competition factors such as economic security policies and trade objectives. This context is complicated further with the disruptive influence and rapid advances of technological innovation such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

While authorities and regulators demand new tools and capabilities to effectively enforce emerging regulatory regimes, international businesses and investors face fresh challenges in navigating more complex compliance requirements across antitrust, merger controls, FDI, foreign subsidies and digital markets regimes.

This conference, hosted in-person and held under the Chatham House Rule, explores emerging themes in competition policy from evolving investigation and enforcement capabilities to merger controls and the digital economy.

Why attend?

  • Gain insight into evolving investigations and enforcement capabilities across jurisdictions and what they mean for investment.  
  • Hear from leading regulators on key recent developments within digital markets and beyond.
  • Explore the implications of recent elections and geopolitical competition for global economic dynamics and competition policy.
  • Network with international competition authorities and anti-trust regulators and engage in best practice relating to competition policy. 

The institute occupies a position of respect and trust, and is committed to fostering inclusive dialogue at all events. Event attendees are expected to uphold this by adhering to our code of conduct.

Who attends

Agenda

Thursday 21 November (timings subject to change)

Opening keynote

Speakers
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the Competition and Markets Authority

1000–1030

Developments in antitrust investigations and enforcement

Does the European Commission’s draft Article 102 guidance signal a change in approach to enforcement of the abuse of dominance rules? What tools have competition authorities used to manage information exchanges through AI pricing algorithms, third party providers and public price signalling? What are the implications of increased enforcement by antitrust regulators against labour market wage fixing and no-poach agreements?


In what ways has the rise of the market investigation regimes across key jurisdictions impacted the certainty of business investments? Are these developments desirable?  

Speakers
Ana Sofia Rodrigues, Board Member, Portuguese Competition Authority
Mia Morgan, Deputy General Counsel, Trainline
Juliette Enser, Interim Executive Director for Competition Enforcement at the Competition and Markets Authority
Chair: Michael Grenfell, Partner, Global Antitrust Group, Clifford Chance

1030–1145

Networking break

1145–1215

In conversation: What do geopolitical shifts mean for the future of competition policy?

How have elections and geopolitical shifts impacted competition policy across key jurisdictions? What are the implications of increasing protectionism within Europe, the United States (US) and China and how has this impacted economic security strategies? Should antitrust laws be relaxed to allow ‘national champions’ to scale up and is the current geopolitical context helping or hindering investment in healthy competition and innovation?  


With the increasing fragmentation of multilateral institutions, what kinds of international collaboration will be effective in managing the influence of non-competition factors?  

Speakers
Gillian Tett, Columnist and Member of the Editorial Board, Financial Times
Chair: Bill Kovacic, Global Competition Professor of Law and Policy, George Washington University

 

 

1215–1300

Lunch

1300–1400

Competition and regulation in digital markets and beyond

Has the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) had it’s intended effect and what lessons does it pose for the new UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC)? How much will the DMCC regime diverge from the DMA and what would be the consequences of such divergence? How have regulations including the EU AI Act impacted competition in the AI sector and cloud computing markets?


One year since the DMA, has competition crept into other areas of policy? Has it expanded the scope and notion of what competition law is designed to achieve?  

Speakers
Konrad Ost, Vice President, Bundeskartellamt 
Raymond de Rooij, Team Manager, Competition Directorate, Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets
Liza Lovdahl-Gormsen, Director, Competition Law Forum & Senior Research Fellow, The British Institute of International and Comparative Law
Cristina Volpin, Competition Policy Expert at the OECD
Nicholas Banasevic, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft
Chair: Neil Dryden, Co-Head of EMEA Practice, Compass Lexecon 

1400–1530

Expanding merger clearance regimes

How have recent EU court rulings in Illumina and Towercast affected mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transaction planning? Is M&A planning being affected by ‘novel’ theories of harm? Reflecting on recent cases including Microsoft/Activision, what mergers are large digital players still allowed to do? Have these cases had unintended consequences? What has been the impact of the new merger guidelines in the United States? How have they been applied and how are they working in practice?


Are outbound investment restrictions necessary and effective? Are the UK and EU likely to impose similar restrictions to the US?   

Speakers
David Lawrence, Policy Director, Antitrust Division, United States Department of Justice 
Ulla Schwager, Head, Mergers in financial services, pharmaceuticals and chemicals Unit, European Commission 
Thilo Klein, Executive Vice President, Compass Lexecon  
Chair: Jennifer Storey, Partner, Clifford Chance 

1600–1730

Coffee break

1530–1600

Closing keynote

Speakers
Henry Liu, Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission
Neil Dryden, Co-Head of EMEA Practice, Compass Lexecon 
 

1730–1800

Networking reception

1800–1900
Chatham House exterior.

The venue

Chatham House is a trusted forum for debate and independent analysis. Our conferences provide access to thought leadership, market insight and influential ideas by bringing together policymakers, world leaders, senior business executives and sector specialists.

Join us at our world-famous Grade II listed home in beautiful St James Square, London.

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