Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy, seventeenth session

The Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Competition Law and Policy is a standing body established under the United Nations Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices (UN Set) to monitor the application and implementation of the Set.

The UN Set is a multilateral agreement on competition policy, which was negotiated and adopted by General Assembly resolution 35/63 on 5 December 1980.

The Set:

• Provides a framework for international operation and exchange of best practices
• Recognizes the development dimension of competition law and policy
• Provides for equitable rules for the control of anti-competitive practices

Background and purpose of the meeting

In line with the agreed conclusions adopted by the Intergovernmental Group of Experts at its sixteenth session on 7 July 2017, the consultations at the seventeenth session will focus on the following topics:

• Capacity-building activities and technical assistance implemented
• Challenges faced by developing countries in competition and regulation in the maritime transport sector
• Competition issues in the sale of audio-visual rights for major sports events
• Voluntary peer review of the competition law and policy of Botswana
• Reports on the UNCTAD Discussion Group on International Cooperation and the UNCTAD Repository of Best Practice Tools

In this Seventeenth Session, the IGE on Competition Law and Policy is expected to adopt the Agreed Conclusions and to decide on its work programme until its next session.

Prior to the IGE, the 9th Meeting of the UNCTAD Research Partnership Platform will take place on Wednesday 11 July in the morning. Early in the week, the 3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy will be held from 9 to 11 July 2018.

Written contributions

In order to facilitate the deliberations and the informal exchange of experiences and best practices on the topics to be discussed, member States and observers are requested to submit written contributions to the UNCTAD secretariat by Friday 1 June 2018, to allow participants to prepare themselves for the consultations.

Information for participants

Participants at the meeting need bring copies of their registration forms in order to collect their badge at the United Nations Security Service, Pregny Gate (opposite the Red Cross Building) before the meeting.

The Security Service is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants are strongly advised to arrive before 8.30 a.m. Participants are requested to carry a passport or a national identity card with them.