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This book hypothesises that the ICN's structures provide powerful influence mechanisms for strong NCAs and NGAs, over the weak; and 'competition experts' over wider state interests, discussing the legitimacy of this from a political and legal theory perspective, and analysing the ICN's effectiveness and efficiency.
List of contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Influence in the ICN: who seeks it, how do they do this, and why?
- 3. The International Competition Network's influence in the National Systems
- 4. Measuring interests and influence in the ICN (and of the ICN): a quantitative analysis
- 5. Legitimacy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the ICN
- 6. Conclusion
- Appendix: Survey on participation in the International Competition Network
About the author
Christopher Townley has been an academic in the Law School at King's College London since 2007. Before that he was a Principal Case Officer in the Office of Fair Trading (a UK competition authority) and a solicitor at Clifford Chance LLP (a law firm). Since joining King's, Christopher has provided teaching and/ or advice to several bodies, including the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (Columbia), the Egyptian Competition Authority, The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (Thailand), The NHS (UK), the Office of Fair Trading (UK), Ofcom (UK), The Pakistan Competition Commission, UNCTAD, and the World Bank.
Mattia Guidi is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences of the University of Siena. His research interests include the economic governance of the European Union, international and comparative political economy, and public opinion (in particular in relation to populist attitudes). He has published in international journals like International Organization, Socio-Economic Review, Regulation & Governance, Governance, European Union Politics. His monograph "Competition policy enforcement in EU member states" (2016) is published by Palgrave MacMillan in the European Administrative Governance series.
Mariana Tavares is Counsel at Cruz Vilaça Advogados. She served as a law clerk (référendaire) at the Court of Justice of the European Union and was a United Nations International Consultant for competition matters. She held several senior positions at the Portuguese Competition Authority and has been closely involved with the development of European and international competition law and policy. Mariana Tavares served as chair of several Working Groups of the European Competition Network and the International Competition Network and she also participated actively in the work of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre, OECD and UNCTAD. She holds a Ph.D. from King's College London.
Summary
This book hypothesises that the ICN's structures provide powerful influence mechanisms for strong NCAs and NGAs, over the weak; and 'competition experts' over wider state interests, discussing the legitimacy of this from a political and legal theory perspective, and analysing the ICN's effectiveness and efficiency.
Additional text
As it enters its third decade, the International Competition Network is still a black box for those on the outside. Townley, Guidi and Tavares open this box and present us with an insightful analysis of what goes on inside this transnational network of competition agencies. Through an interdisciplinary perspective and incorporating an original survey of the ICN members, the authors demonstrate that despite the soft law nature of its recommendations and consensus requirements, a group of advanced industrial economies have been able to exercise a powerful influence in the organization, promoting competition rules that benefit their jurisdictions, and their multinational corporations and law firms. A must-read for anyone interested in the international dimensions of competition policy, and questions of power and legitimacy within transnational regulatory networks.
