On November 19, 2009, The European Institute convened a meeting on The Continuing Evolution of U.S-E.U. Competition Policy. This discussion with Philip Weiser, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for International, Policy and Appellate Matters at the U.S. Department of Justice, addressed the opportunities and challenges for greater transatlantic cooperation in competition law and policies. Mr. Weiser shared his perspective on the Obama Administration's approach to competition policy, stressing the importance of "new institutional economics" with attendant focus on clearer guidelines and standards for mergers and acquisitions as well as greater transparency and establishment of best practices to sustain economic competition. Mr. Weiser also emphasized the need to fortify technical cooperation between the United States and the European Union in order to guarantee competition in the transatlantic as well as the global economies.
Sibylle Zitko, Legal Advisor at the Delegation of the European Commission and an expert on EU competition policies, echoed the need for common standards and guidelines. Although the new Barroso Commission was still being formed at the time of this meeting, Ms. Zitko stressed the continuity of the European Union's competition policies and lauded the "excellent" staff cooperation that has sustained transatlantic cooperation in this critical facet of economic relations.
This meeting was supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany through funds of the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
