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42nd Annual Competition Policy Conference: in review
This year’s Annual Competition Policy Conference, Cutting through the noise to shape effective competition policy, took place on Thursday, 17 October. The event examined how competition policy can contribute to economic resilience and strategic influence amidst growing global uncertainty. Maggy Peeters, Director of Communications and Outreach, and Angélique de Brousse (Johnson & Johnson), Chair, Competition Policy Committee, AmCham EU opened the conference by underscoring the role of competition policy in shaping Europe’s industrial and geopolitical future.
The first panel explored how geopolitical developments are influencing industrial strategies and the evolving role of competition tools. Astrid Cousin, Head of Unit, Commission Priorities and Strategic Coordination, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission, discussed how competition policy is adapting to meet the EU’s broader strategic and industrial objectives. Miriam Lexmann, MEP (EPP, SK) emphasised the need for measured policy tools rooted in both security and shared democratic values. Representing the technology sector, Alexandre Roure, Head of Policy, Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), highlighted the importance of fair, transparent and predictable policy frameworks for competitiveness and growth. With the guidance of Zach Meyers, Research Director, Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE), the discussion addressed the future of competition policy.
Following a coffee break, the audience heard a fireside chat between Natalie Harsdorf, Director-General, Federal Austrian Competition Authority and Martijn Snoep, Chairman, Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets. The discussions looked at Austria and The Netherlands’ approaches to anti-competitive subthreshold transactions and reflected on how regulators are adapting their approaches to meet emerging industrial challenges while retaining certainty for investors. Moderated by Nicholas Hirst, Chief Correspondent, EU Competition, MLex, the conversation explored the interplay between certainty and adaptability in merger control.
Offering an industry perspective, Sharon Marshall, Director, Europe, the Middle East and Africa Partnerships, Google, stressed that effective competition policy should drive innovation and facilitate collaborative partnerships. The conversation, moderated by Thibaut L'Ortye, Senior Director of Public Affairs, AmCham EU, highlighted the significant influence competition rules have on shaping markets.
The final panel focused on reinforcing EU-US cooperation in competition enforcement. Inge Bernaerts, Director, Policy and Strategy, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission, emphasised the continued importance of collaboration around shared visions and values between regulators on both sides of the Atlantic. Kevin Buckley, Vice-President, Global Government Affairs, Johnson & Johnson, highlighted the private sector’s need for predictability and standards to support innovation. Philip Lowe, Senior Advisor, Kekst CNC, reflected on mutual lessons to be drawn from the European and US approaches to enforcement, including the value of the Single Market as a driver of growth and prosperity. Moderated by Natalie McNelis, Bureau Chief, Mergermarket/PaRR, the panel reaffirmed the continued importance of transatlantic alignment and the Single Market to foster economic resilience and competitiveness.
Thank you to everyone who attended, as well as our Premium sponsor Google and our Media Partner MLex.