international cooperation and capacity building on competition: a swiss perspective 7up2 project...
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
International Cooperation and
Capacity Building on Competition:
A Swiss Perspective
7up2 Project Final Meeting
Bangkok, June 28, 2006
Dr. Patrick KrauskopfVice-director of the Secretariat of the Swiss Competition Commission
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
ContentsContents
1. Introduction to Swiss Competition Policy
2. International Cooperation
3. Capacity Building
4. Concluding Remarks
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
1. Introduction to Swiss Competition 1. Introduction to Swiss Competition PolicyPolicy
Economic context: An increasing globalized economy
Specific features of Switzerland Tasks and aims of the Swiss competition authorities
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Europe 2004Europe 2004
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
GDP per Capita 2004GDP per Capita 2004
0
10 000
20 000
30 000
40 000
50 000
60 000
Source: OECD Factbook 2006Source: OECD Factbook 2006
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Trade Balance:Trade Balance:Export minus Import of ServicesExport minus Import of Services
Billion US Dollars, average 2001-2004Billion US Dollars, average 2001-2004
Source: OECD Factbook 2006Source: OECD Factbook 2006
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Trade Balance:Trade Balance:Export minus Import of GoodsExport minus Import of Goods
Billion US Dollars, 2004Billion US Dollars, 2004
Source: OECD Factbook 2006Source: OECD Factbook 2006
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Tasks and Aims of the SwissTasks and Aims of the SwissCompetition AuthoritiesCompetition Authorities
• The Competition Commission (Comco)
• Takes decisions
• Addresses recommendations and reports
• Renders opinions
• The Secretariat
• Examines
• Prepares decisions
• Gives legal advice
• Observes markets
• Gathers information
• Conducts dawn raids and hearings
• Is responsible for contacts with other authorities
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
2. International Cooperation2. International Cooperation
Instruments of international cooperation on competition law and policy
Commitment of competition agreements Enforcement cooperation Swiss perspective
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Instruments of International Instruments of International Cooperation on Competition Law and Cooperation on Competition Law and PolicyPolicy
Agreements on competition law enforcement Mutual legal assistance treaties Friendship, commerce, and navigation treaties
Technical cooperation agreements Free trade, customs union, economic partnership, or common market agreements
Multilateral and plurilateral instruments
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Commitment of Competition Commitment of Competition AgreementsAgreements Hard law:
• Typically creates obligations that are legally binding
• Ex: Mutual legal assistance treaties (US-Canada, US-UK)
Soft law:• Typically creates undetermined obligations with
general political promises
• Compliance discretionary
Memorandum of understanding• Definition of specific rules and responsibilities
• Non-binding
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Enforcement Cooperation (1)Enforcement Cooperation (1)
Cooperation agreements upon enforcement cooperation
• Cooperation between the EU and the USA
• Developing countries
Impediments to enforcement cooperation
• Differences in competition laws, economic doctrines, enforcement practices or procedures
• Confidentiality accorded under national leniency programs to information from leniency applications
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Enforcement Cooperation (2)Enforcement Cooperation (2) Factors conducive to enforcement cooperation
• Shared perception of common interest
• Mutual benefit
Factors strengthening enforcement cooperation
• Development of common standards
• Balance between transparency and the protection of confidential information
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Swiss PerspectiveSwiss Perspective No specific agreement on cooperation activities with other authorities
ICN OECD Recommendations
• Recommendation on cooperation between antitrust authorities
• Recommendation on cooperation against hard-core cartels
Bilateral agreement on air transport between Switzerland and EU
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
OECD RecommendationsOECD Recommendations Recommendations on cooperation between antitrust
authorities• 1986, revised in 1995
• Basic tools for cooperation: notification of cases, exchange of information, coordination of action, consultation, conciliation
• Non-binding
Recommendation on cooperation against hard-core cartels
• 1998
• Particular forms of cooperation: positive comity, document sharing ...
• Non-binding
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Bilateral Agreement on Air TransportBilateral Agreement on Air Transport
Between the EU and Switzerland 06/01/2002 Reciprocal liberalization of air traffic rights EU competition rules are also applied in Switzerland by the EU Commission
Switzerland remains competent concerning state aids
Cooperation for enforcement and procedural measures
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
3. Capacity Building3. Capacity Building Main components
• Development of legal and regulatory framework
• Comprehensive human resource development
• Comprehensive institutional (or organizational) development
• Development of information systems
Continuing process! Swiss capacity building programs
• Recent past
• Ongoing
• Planned
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Swiss Capacity Building Programs –Swiss Capacity Building Programs –Recent PastRecent Past
Visit of Egyptian competition authorities Dawn raids: Instruction by several European member states‘ competition authorities
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Swiss Capacity Building Programs - Swiss Capacity Building Programs - OngoingOngoing COMPAL program 7up2 project Working groups within ICN (among others)
• Steering group
• Merger working group
- Notification and procedure
- Investigative techniques
• Cartel working group
- General framework
- Enforcement techniques
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
Swiss Capacity Building Programs - Swiss Capacity Building Programs - PlannedPlanned
Technical assistance to newly created European and non-European agencies
Working groups within ICN Organization of ICN annual conference in 2009
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
6. Concluding Remarks (1)6. Concluding Remarks (1) Need to set forth a formal legal framework in the form of bilateral or multilateral cooperation agreements with the following objectives:
• Build a closer relationship and confidence between competition authorities
• Promote a convergent approach towards methodical issues
• Reduce the inefficiencies of overlapping investigations
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WettbewerbskommissionCommission de la concurrenceCommissione della concorrenza
6. Concluding Remarks (2)6. Concluding Remarks (2)
Dans la vie, il n‘y a pas de solutions, il y a des forces en marche:
il faut les créer,et les solutions suivent.
(Saint Exupéry – Vol de nuit)
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