ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses continental competition networks. A specific feature of such networks is that they usually follow continental integration. Processes of integration taking place on individual continents inevitably lead to increased cooperation between public administration bodies, including national competition authorities (NCAs). Network cooperation, with its flexibility and fundamental lack of hierarchical relationships, seems a natural solution in this case. It is no different for the cooperation among NCAs taking place within a unifying Europe. Unlike networks with a global or regional dimension, European competition networks are the most advanced forms of transnational competition networks – that is, harmonisation and administrative networks. This chapter therefore devotes considerable space to European competition networks (European Competition Authorities, the European Competition Network and the EU Merger Working Group). However, other continental competition networks – such as the African Competition Forum and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation – are also presented and discussed.
