1st EU-Korea Competition Week
11-12 November 2019
T he 1st EU-Korea Competition Week took place in Seoul on 11th November and in Sejong City on 12th November 2019. The initiative is the first in a series of annual dialogues providing a platform for cooperation and frank exchanges between the European Commission Directorate-General for Competition (DG Competition), the EU Member States National Competition Authorities and the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC).
The Competition Week opened with a public conference on competition law enforcement in the digital economy. The conference attracted a large audience from academia, the private sector and government from both Korea and the EU, following panel discussions, which focussed on how competition authorities address the competition challenges posed by the digitalisation of the economy. Experts and officials explored ways to ensure that the digital economy benefits consumers and the broader economy.
The conference was followed by closed-door sessions between the KFTC and DG Competition, encouraging frank exchanges of views and experiences on a range of technical topics; including standards for serger review in innovation markets and mergers involving big data, fairness and transparency in antitrust and merger proceedings. This allowed both sides to address the priorities and challenges in their competition policy and enforcement and to engage in constructive technical and practical exchanges.
EU-Korea Competition Weeks will take place annually, allowing officials from DG Competition and the KFTC to engage in a dialogue to enhance cooperation and transparency in the field of competition.
Schedule
Competition Law Enforcement in the Digital Economy
08:45-09:00: Registration
09:00-09:15: Opening remarks:
Mr. Yeong-ho SHIN, Director General, Competition Policy Bureau, Korea Fair Trade Commission
Mr. Christophe Besse, Chargé d’Affaire, EU Delegation to Korea
09:15-10:15: Session I: Overview of competition law challenges in the digital economy
This panel will explore the key features of the digital economy, which has created opportunities, but also challenges for policy makers and competition agencies. It will discuss the upcoming digital challenges, including market power, the competitive impact of Big Data, and mergers in digital markets, and their implications for competition policy.
Moderator: Mr. Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Presentations by:
– Mr. Seong KANG, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Private Officer, Kakao Corporation (15 mins)
– Mr David ANDERSON, Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Brussels (15 mins)
– Dr. Hwang LEE, Professor, Korea University School of Law (15 minutes)
Q & A (15 minutes)
10:15-11:15: Session II: Competition law enforcement in digital markets
This panel will examine the respective approaches of the EU and Korea’s competition law enforcement in digital markets. The panelists will discuss recent cases, the sectors and issues that have raised concerns and enforcement policy responses.
Moderator: Ms. Hilary JENNINGS, Senior Competition Expert, EU-Asia Competition Cooperation Project
Presentations by:
– Mr Anatoly SUBOCS, Case Handler, Merger Case Support and Policy, DG Competition, European Commission and Ms. Raluca STEFANUC, Case Handler, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer Electronics, DG Competition, European Commission (20 minutes)
– Ms. Hyounjoo KIM, Deputy Director, the Anti-Monopoly Division (Service), Korea Fair Trade Commission (20 mins)
Q& A (15 mins)
11:15-11:45: Coffee/Tea Break
11:45 – 13:15: Session III: Policy responses to address competition concerns in high-technology markets
This panel will discuss the role of competition enforcement to keep digital markets competitive for the benefit of consumers and market players. It will consider how to adapt competition policy for the digital era, and whether a new regulatory model is necessary. The panel will also explore how competition authorities and regulators can keep pace with developments and the impact of new digital business models on competition.
Moderator: Ms. Hilary JENNINGS, Senior Competition Expert, EU-Asia Competition Cooperation Project
Moderated Panel discussion (75 minutes) with:
– Ms. Raluca STEFANUC, Case Handler, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer Electronics, DG Competition, European Commission
– Mr. Joong Kyu SUN, Director, the Anti-Monopoly Division (Manufacturing), Korea Fair Trade Commission
– Mr. Miles (Seung-Hwan) CHUNG, Senior Foreign Attorney, Antitrust & Competition Law Practice Group, Kim & Chang
– Mr David ANDERSON, Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Brussels
– Dr. Yong LIM, Professor, Seoul National University School of Law
Q & A (15 minutes)
13:15-13:30: Closing remarks
Mr. Yeong-ho SHIN, Director General, Competition Policy Bureau, Korea Fair Trade Commission
Mr. Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Competition Law Enforcement in the Digital Economy
09:00-09:30: Registration
09:30-09:45: Opening remarks:
Mr. Yeong-ho SHIN, Director General, Competition Policy Bureau, Korea Fair Trade Commission
Mr Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
09:45-12:00: Session I – Standards for merger review in innovation markets and mergers involving Big Data
Overview:
- Concept of innovation competition
- The development of DG COMP’s innovation competition framework
- The role of data in merger review – theory of harm / forward-looking assessments
- The KFTC’s analytical framework for mergers involving innovation markets and Big Data – the 2019 Merger Review Guideline
Presentations by
- Mr Anatoly SUBOCS, Case Handler, Merger Case Support and Policy, DG Competition, European Commission (45 minutes)
- Mun Sung BAE, Deputy Director, M&A Division, Korea Fair Trade Commission (45 minutes)
Q&A session (45 minutes)
12:00-14:00: Lunch Break
14:00-16:45: Session II – Fairness and transparency in antitrust and merger proceedings
Overview:
- Process and practices in the EU and Korea
- The investigative procedure framework
- Interaction with parties at different stages of the investigation
- Evidence gathering – tools and challenges
- Access to file and protection of confidential information, and rights of defence
- Limits on powers of investigation
Presentations by
- Ms Raluca STEFANUC, Case Handler, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer Electronics, DG Competition, European Commission (30 minutes)
- Mr Anatoly SUBOCS, Case Handler, Merger Case Support and Policy, DG Competition, European Commission (15 minutes)
- Ui Seok YANG, Deputy Director, Deliberation Management Office, Korea Fair Trade Commission (45 minutes)
Q&A session (45 minutes)
16:45-17:00: Closing remarks
Mr. Yeong-ho SHIN, Director General, Competition Policy Bureau, Korea Fair Trade Commission
Mr. Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
DG COMP – KFTC Roundtable on Day 2: DG COMP – KFTC Roundtables on (i) Standards for Merger Review in Innovation Markets and Mergers Involving Big Data and (ii) Fairness and Transparency in Antitrust and Merger Proceedings
08:45-09:00: Registration
09:00-12:00: Session I – Data in the digital economy
Overview
- Impact of data on online markets – competitive advantage?
- Data concentration
- Defining a relevant market for data
- The relevance of data in establishing market power
- Experience of data related mergers
- Experience of data related abuses of dominance
Presentation by
- Mr Pierantonio D’ELIA, Case Handler Merger Case Support and Policy, DG Competition, European Commission and Mr Joao VAREDA, Case Handler, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer electronics, DG Competition, European Commission
- Ms Florence LE ROUX, Case Handler, Antitrust Unit, French Competition Authority
- ZHAO Lili, Division of Supervision and Enforcement, Anti-Monopoly Bureau, STATE ADMINISTRATION FOR MARKET REGULATION
Discussion and commentary by
- Mr Wladimir SOLTMANN, Case Handler, Merger Unit, French Competition Authority
Roundtable discussion and Q&A session
12:00-13:30: Lunch
13:30-16:45: Session II – Antitrust enforcement in digital markets
Overview
- Collusion in online markets
- Identifying collusion through or between algorithms
- Investigating abuses of dominance in the digital economy – alleged discriminatory or unfair practices
- Use of interim measures to deal with developments in fast-moving markets
Presentations by
- Mr Joao VAREDA, Case Handler, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer electronics, DG Competition, European Commission
- YU Jiamu, Division of Monopoly Agreement Investigation, Anti-Monopoly Bureau, STATE ADMINISTRATION FOR MARKET REGULATION
Discussion and commentary by
- Ms Florence LE ROUX, Case Handler, Antitrust Unit, French Competition Authority
Roundtable discussion and Q&A session
