7 September 2021, Budapest – The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) is organising this year’s conference of the International Competition Network (ICN), the membership of which consists of the world’s competition authorities. The event, to which competition law experts from more than 130 countries are invited, will be held online in light of the pandemic situation.

The International Competition Network (ICN) is an informal platform for international cooperation between competition authorities and the largest international organisation exclusively engaged in competition law. The GVH joined the Network in January 2002, which was founded by 15 competition authorities in October 2001.

The international professional reputation of the Hungarian Competition Authority is indicated, among other things, by the fact that it has been granted the right to organise the 20th conference of the ICN. In view of the situation that emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Csaba Balázs RIGÓ, the President of the GVH, and the Steering Group of the ICN, chaired by Andreas Mundt, the President of the German Competition Authority, decided that the conference on 13-15 October 2021 will be held in a virtual form. Given that another wave of the pandemic in the autumn could lead to travel ban in some countries again, experts from more than 130 member agencies of the international organisation would not have an equal chance to participate in the event. Furthermore, the virtual format allows competition law professionals, competition authority experts, lawyers, judges, academics from all over the world to join and follow the professional lectures and discourses in a much greater number than before.

The agenda of the event contains discussions on current issues of competition law. International attention towards this high-standard professional event has been significant since the beginning of the preparations. The opportunity to organise the ICN 2021 Annual Conference is a great honour for the GVH and Hungary.

GVH Press Office

Printable version in PDF