The Internationalisation of Competition Rules

The widespread move towards more market-driven models of political economy combined with the expanding internationalisation of business and commerce has led to a series of proposals for global competition rules. To date these proposals have been hotly contested. A critical issue is whether some form of international rule-making is required, or whether soft law solutions are sufficient. Competition rules may be required to combat the damage done by global cartels and to diffuse the tensions created when more than one nation seeks to regulate the same conduct. Competition rules may also be required to protect the integrity of the world trading system. International rule-making, however, presents its own problems, not the least of which is a concern with protecting national sovereignty.

Brendan J. Sweeney is the Deputy Head of the Department of Business Law and Taxation at Monash University, Australia.