Competition Policy: serving the public interest?

Announcing a one-day conference: speaker sessions and roundtable discussion on:

Competition Policy: serving the public interest?

Venue: Canada House, Trafalgar Sq., London

21 June 2010 (10am for 10.30)


Keynote speaker: Professor John Bridgeman CBE (Formerly Director General of Fair Trading, MD Alcan)

Contributions from:

Bert Foer : President, American Antitrust Institute

Professor John Kay : London Business School/Director: Institute for Fiscal Studies/London Economics

Professor Alan Riley : City University Law School/ Res Publica

Dr Paul Gorecki : Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin (formerly with Economic Council of Canada)

James Lowman : Association of Convenience Stores

Barry Lynn: New America Foundation

Michael Hallsworth: Institute for Government, London

Courtesy of kind support of the Federal Government of Canada, cost per delegate is held at £100 ea (to include buffet lunch). However, seating capacity is strictly limited

Please email Professor Alan Hallsworth

to reserve your place and for updates, additional speakers etc.

Please put COMPETITION EVENT in the subject line


Purpose of the day

In addressing rising concerns about the environment, sustainability and resource depletion, analysts turn increasingly to behavioural economics for interpretations of the human factor. Critics argue, fairly or otherwise, that Competition Policy, conversely, remains dependent upon Chicago-School visions of market competition. Some who accept the broad sphere of rational choice nevertheless argue that there should at least be US-style routes to contesting the power of market-dominant firms. Others question the metrics and the evidence base that underpin specific decisions about the competitiveness of markets. It can also be argued that any wider vision of a public interest (dropped from Competition policy by the 2002 Enterprise Act) has been reduced to consumer interest.

Who, then, is best placed to define or defend the consumer interest?

Leading speakers will offer a range of perspectives on these topics. Following a networking lunch, the afternoon will include a roundtable session to extend the debate more widely.

The event seeks to appeal to all who have an interest in how consumer markets are, could, or should be regulated.

Supported by LoCSA and the BACS Business group