Abstract

The globalisation of economic activity carries with it the corollary of globalisation of competition problems. All competition authorities, and the European Commission makes no exception, need to take up this challenge and respond adequately, adapting thinking, rules and behaviour. This paper describes what the European Commission has done and is doing along the international dimension of competition policy. First, the problems deriving from the enlargement process of the European Union are examined within the three traditional profiles of state aids, merger rules and antitrust. Further, foundations and developments of international co-operation at the bilateral level in antitrust and merger control are considered. Lastly the issue of multilateral co-operation is treated, and more precisely the parallel and synergetic tracks of the International Competition Network, the forum presently being built by competition authorities, and the possible agreement on competition within the World Trade Organisation.