The regime continues to evolve (albeit slowly)... is 2018 a crunch year?
Hong Kong's competition regime is still relatively new and so perhaps not surprisingly it remains something of a work in progress. While there have been a small number of "firsts" - such as the first two cases taken to the Competition Tribunal and the issuance of the first block exemption order (for the shipping sector) - output from the Competition Commission (HKCC) remains relatively modest. In addition, from an institutional perspective, the authority has undergone significant change with an overhaul of its senior leadership team during the course of 2017.
Looking ahead, the next year or two will be critical for the authority and its new leadership in demonstrating that it is an active and effective regulator, and that the competition regime as a whole is a force for good in Hong Kong. This will be particularly important if the authority intends to seek legislative changes to the Competition Ordinance to address some of the perceived weaknesses in the current regime.
The full briefing explores these issues in more detail, covering;
- the five key milestones in the HKCC's second year of enforcement;
- enforcement trends;
- a sector-by-sector analysis; and
- looking forward in 2018.
If there are any issues you would like to discuss in person please don't hesitate to contact us. Our team are happy to hear from you.
