New Delhi:The 10th CIRC Winter School on Competition Law and Economics concluded on November 10 with strong global participation and high praise from attendees, including a 12-member delegation from Papua New Guinea’s Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC).
“My colleagues found it highly enriching and were grateful for the opportunity to deepen their knowledge,” said Thomas Vui, Expert at PNG’s ICCC, lauding the week-long programme hosted by the CUTS Institute for Regulation and Competition (CIRC).
The intensive course featured more than 20 hours of live sessions, case discussions, and lectures delivered by over 15 international experts. Participants from PNG and three investigators from Zambia’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) took part. A 20-member team from the Tanzania Competition & Consumer Commission was scheduled to join but withdrew due to political unrest; CIRC has offered a standalone programme for them.
CUTS International, which has worked on competition regimes in India and Africa since 1983, anchored the programme. In his opening remarks, CUTS founder Pradeep Mehta underscored that competition law is only one element of a broader competition policy framework shaped by factors such as trade, FDI and intellectual property.
Dr. Frederic Jenny, former Chair of the OECD Competition Committee, explained the evolution of dominance from a structural to a behavioural concept, citing EU merger control as a leading example. Arpan Sharma, Deputy Director (Law) at the Competition Commission of India, highlighted the challenges of algorithmic collusion, noting its opacity and the difficulty of establishing accountability.
Participants also discussed emerging technology issues. Cedrick Yombi of PNG’s ICCC said the country is working with its ICT department to address AI-related competition concerns, even though a formal AI policy is yet to be drafted.
A young Indian lawyer described the school as “an opportunity to prepare for future market realities” and praised the relevance of the curated topics.
