International Competition Network The State of Play after Naples

Abstract

In this article the Author intends to provide a comprehensive picture of the International Competition Network (ICN), a recently established informal forum whereby competition agencies from all over the world, in cooperation with other instances (industry, academia, practitioners), discuss issues of common interest in the exclusive field of antitrust. The purpose of the initiative is to improve world-wide cooperation and thus convergence among competition agencies throughout the world, as well as to encourage developing countries to enforce a sound competition policy. After describing the main features of the Network, as well as the outcome of its first Annual conference held last September in Naples, the Author focuses on some sensitive issues. In this respect, while recognising that ICN is probably the most important and successful initiative which has been lately launched in the field of antitrust international cooperation, a number of potential problems are identified. Among them, the most serious risk that ICN runs is that it will become an initiative monopolised by a few developed countries discussing issues of exclusive interest to them. An effort should therefore be made to further reinforce the participatory nature of the initiative. A second risk is that ICN recommendations will not be adequately implemented by its members.

The Evolution of European Merger Regulations and the Power of Ideas: A Pan-institutional Interpretation

“…(Larson 1977: 49-52, Mizruchi et al 1999 For instance, the creation of the International Competition Network in 1997 can be considered as an attempt to build an arena where antitrust practitioners can share information. Indeed, the set-up of the ICN and its study groups has allowed the development of normative isomorphism among states, thus favouring harmonisation between antitrust practices (Todino 2003: 283-302, Budzinski 2004: 223-242, Fox 2003). 2 Differently from the sociological perspective, scholars dealing with population ecology interpret isomorphism as a competitive phenomenon, which 'involves pressures toward similarity resulting from market competition' (Mizruchi et al 1999: 656-657).…”