Paths to Competition Advocacy
Research Handbook on International Competition Law (Ariel Ezrachi, ed, Edward Elgar), 2012
Posted: 16 Oct 2015
Date Written: 2012
Abstract
The approach that competition authorities generally take to the task of competition advocacy focuses on general advocacy and advice to governments. Most discussions of competition advocacy generally take this ‘traditional’ advocacy path and discussions usually begin by asking what a competition agency should do by way of general advocacy and advice to governments. However, such discussions about competition advocacy can come to an early end as their role often tends to be seen as quite limited and they do not deeply probe the fundamental issues concerning anticompetitive laws. This chapter discusses the traditional advocacy approach and considers its limitations. In response to the shortcomings of the traditional advocacy approach, two alternate paths to competition advocacy – a national competition policy approach and an incremental approach – are explored. Australia’s experience with conducting such a national competition policy and its relevance for other countries is also discussed.
Keywords: competition advocacy, interest group theory, institutions, national competition policy
JEL Classification: D72, K21, L4, L5
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation