2nd International Conference “Competition Enforcement Challenges and Consumer Welfare in Developing Countries"

The Competition Commission of Pakistan held its 2nd International Conference on 1–2 December, 2011 in Islamabad, with the collaboration of Competitiveness Support Fund/USAID. The theme of the conference was, “Competition Enforcement Challenges and Consumer Welfare in Developing Countries.”

The conference provided a rare opportunity to hear from internationally acclaimed experts on competition law from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Far East, and South Asia. The local panelists included representatives of the consumer right associations, the business community, the Competitiveness Support Fund, and the Government of Pakistan. The Conference participants include senior management members of corporate firms from across all sectors of the economy, legal community, academia, autonomous bodies, state-owned enterprises, other public and private institutions and the Government of Pakistan.

The conference aims to examine the status of Competition enforcement in various jurisdictions with particular reference to the emerging economies such as Pakistan. It is also expected to explore and strengthen the relationship between competition enforcement and consumer welfare in Developing Countries.

The Conference addressed five themes: Challenge for Competition Agencies to Deal with Cartels and Cartels in Disguise; Deceptive Marketing & Consumer Protection; Lessons Learnt and Sharing of Country Experiences in Advocacy and Enforcement; State Aid and Distortion in Competition, and; Public Procurement/Collusive Bidding affecting Consumer Welfare. In these sessions, the panelists will share their perspectives and experiences in the enforcement and advocacy of competition law in their respective countries. The Conference underscores the shared commitment of the governments of Pakistan and the United States of America to promote healthy competition and to strengthen and make the private sector more competitive.

Conference details:

Date: December 1-2, 2011
Location: Serena Hotel, Islamabad