22nd EU-China Competition Week

Monday 29 November 2021

The Green transition – how can the PRC’s Fair Competition Review System and the EU’s State Aid Framework contribute?

06:45-07:00: Registration / Virtual room open

07:05-07:30: Opening remarks

• Mr Zhou ZHIGAO, Deputy Director General, Competition Policy Coordination Bureau, State Administration for Market Regulation
• Mr Thomas DEISENHOFER, Principal Adviser, Ex-post Economic Evaluation, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission

07:30-08:45: Session I – Fair Competition Review System – experiences with balancing fair competition rules and environmental objectives

Moderator: Ms Hilary JENNINGS, Special Adviser on Competition Policy, Competition Cooperation Project

Overview:

• How can FCRS assist in achieving wider environmental goals (e.g. promoting R&D and investments in environmentally sustainable industries, or negative consequences for activities harmful to the environment e.g. polluting factories)?
• Examples of application of FCRS to policies with positive or negative environmental impacts in line with wider government objectives.

Presentations by:

• Ms Jin Jing, Director, Fair Competition Review Division, Competition Policy Coordination Bureau, State Administration for Market Regulation

Q&A

08:45-10:00: Session II – Balancing environmental objectives with State aid rules – adjusting the State aid framework

 Overview:

• State aid reforms to support the EU’s new Green Deal and sustainability objectives
• How can State aid framework address concerns, such as: limiting access to public funding for fossil fuels; systematically assessing environmental impact in State aid procedures; need for simplified rules that provide legal certainty and transparency of State aid initiatives that are potentially harmful to the environment; and supporting R&D and Investment projects.
• Practical examples
• Overview of reforms to the existing EU (i) Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy, (ii) The General Block Exemption Regulation, (iii) State aid rules on Important Projects of Common European interest; and (iv) other reforms to the framework.

Presentations by

• Mr Alejandro DONNAY, Deputy Head of Unit, State Aid: Energy, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission

Q&A

Tuesday 30 November 2021

Mechanisms to control potentially problematic acquisitions in the digital sector

07:45-08:00: Registration/ Virtual room open 

08:05-11:00 – Revision of merger threshold notification and capturing high-value transactions

Overview

• Rationale for revising thresholds
• Transaction value-based thresholds – rationale and options/ alternatives
• Case experiences with thresholds and mechanisms to capture high-value acquisitions of start-ups and small targets below existing turnover thresholds – including the new Article 22 EU Merger Regulation Guidance (regarding referrals of mergers from Member State authorities to DG COMP that do not meet the EU merger thresholds).

Presentation by

• Dr Fabian PAPE, Head of Unit, German and European Merger Control, German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt)

Q&A

• Mr Simon GENEVAZ, Deputy Head of Unit, Merger Case Support and Policy, DG Competition, European Commission

Q&A

Overview

• The general rules of M&A review of control on platform business
• Case experience: recent M&A on platform business
• Reflect of improving standard of control on platform business

Presentations by

• Wang Liyuan, Deputy Director, General Affairs Division, Anti-monopoly Law Enforcement Bureau 2, SAMR

Q&A

Wednesday 1 December 2021

Enforcing antitrust rules in digital markets – practical challenges for investigations

06:45-07:00: Registration / Virtual room open

07:05-10:00 Challenges of investigating anti-competitive practices in digital markets – case experiences

Overview

• Challenges of defining relevant market in digital markets
• Determining what to focus on
• Managing the complexity and volume of data involved
• Conducting the analysis
• Update on latest regulatory developments in the EU and PRC

 

Presentations by

• Ms Pascale DÉCHAMPS, Rapporteur Général Adjoint, Head of Unit for Antitrust Matters in the Digital and Telecom Sectors, French Competition Authority

Q&A

• Mr Brice ALIBERT, Deputy Head of Unit, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer Electronics, DG Competition, European Commission

Q&A

• Jiang Yongliang, Deputy Director, Abuse of Dominance Investigation Division 2, Anti-monopoly Law Enforcement Bureau 1, SAMR

Q&A

Discussion

Thursday 2 December 2021

Update on PRC’s Amendments to the Anti-Monopoly Law and an overview of the EU’s recent legislative and competition policy developments

06:45-07:00 Registration / Virtual room open

07:05-08:30 Session I – Update on amendments to the AML: Amendments submitted to the NPC’s Standing Committee for deliberations – priorities and expectations

Overview:

• Review of amendments proposed – substantive changes, administrative changes
• Priorities for SAMR in current deliberations
• Impact of recent enforcement on policy priorities?

Presentations by

• Qiu Yang, Deputy Director, Anti-monopoly Coordination Division, Competition Policy Coordination Bureau, SAMR

Discussion and Q&A session with:

Mr Thomas DEISENHOFER, Principal Adviser, Ex-post Economic Evaluation, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission

Mr Koen VAN DE CASTEELE, Head of Unit, State Aid Case Support and Policy, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission

Mr Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission

08:30-09:30 Session II – Update on key legislative and competition policy developments in the EU

Overview:

• 2021 Review of the EU’s competition policy and tools
• Summary of recent EU legislative proposals and amendments to existing guidelines and regulations

Presentation by

Mr Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate General for Competition, European Commission

09:30 – 09:45 Closing remarks

• Mr Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, International Relations Unit, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
• Competition Policy Coordination Bureau, State Administration for Market Regulation