European Union: Adopted ICN Agreement to Strengthening Competition Authority Coordination in Digital Markets

On 26 March 2024, the International Competition Network (ICN), which is comprised of competition authorities from Australia, Austria, Canada, Brazil, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, adopted a declaration to strengthen competition authority governance in digital and technological markets. They agreed on measures, including recognising the broad scope of technology and the necessity for timely intervention to address emerging challenges such as consumer harm and anti-competitive behaviour. The declaration emphasised fostering interdisciplinary coordination, enhancing technical expertise within agencies by incorporating diverse skill sets such as technologists, engineers, and data scientists, and strengthening international cooperation to facilitate the exchange of best practices.