The conference was opened by Claudia Plakolm, Federal Minister of Europe, Integration and Family, and Harald Waiglein, Federal Ministry of Finance. “Closer cooperation with our West Balkan partners is not simply a necessity but a strategic investment in the future of our continent,” insisted Federal Minister Claudia Plakolm.
International conference with West Balkan competition authorities in Vienna – Kick-off to long-term cooperation with West Balkan countries
The event marked the advent of a long-term cooperation project between the AFCA and the World Bank. The project’s aim is to strengthen competition policy and enforcement in the West Balkan countries through close cooperation and knowledge transfer.
The first day of the kick-off event was dedicated to discussions about current developments in competition policy, transnational merger control, and the interplay between competition and financial stability. A large number of representatives from Balkan countries, as well as various national authorities and international organisations, took part in discussions dedicated to all of the relevant issues and moderated by renowned experts.
The programme of events also included a practical workshop on antitrust enforcement with national and international experts. This gave a comprehensive overview of the investigation processes, from the very first assessment of a complaint up to the implementation of dawn raids. The second day of the conference opened with a keynote by AFCA’s Director General for Competition, Natalie Harsdorf, who commented: “I am very happy that, in close cooperation with the World Bank, Austria can make a meaningful contribution to the Western Balkans.”
