Competition Law in a Globalised World (LAWS90069)

This subject will consider the development of modern thought about trade and competition that originated in the 18 th century. The development of ‘free trade’ and competition as the organising mechanisms of both domestic and international commerce will be traced through the 19 th and 20 th centuries to the present day. The evolution and spread of modern competition policy and law in key jurisdictions and regions will be examined, analysed and contextualised through global shifts in the political economy environment. The relatively recent spread of competition law to developing and small economies will be explained and the impact of new technologies on competition law will be discussed. Finally, the effects of globalisation of competition law and how it affects international legal practice in this field will be considered.

Highlights of the subject include:

• Critical examination of the historical development of competition policy and law globally including the major institutions that promote globalisation
• Exploration of the interaction between trade, competition and globalization, including consideration of the opposition to globalisation
• Consideration of the shifts in economic and political theory that have moulded the parameters of competition law and its analytical tools
• Appreciation that achieving globalised standards in competition law norms and their application are complex and disputed
• Special focus on the increasing significance of competition policy, law and enforcement in small and developing economies
• Examination of the crucial role of technology in contemporary globalised business models and the special competition issues that arise therefrom and
• Insights and perspectives from leading stakeholders such as competition authority officials, academics and practitioners to assist students in grappling with the challenges posed by the design and application of competition policies and rules in cross-border settings and their application in commercial situations.