A morning conference by the Competition Authority on oligopoly in smaller economies was held today at Hotel Nordica. The conference was opened by Valgerður Sverrisdóttir, Minister of Industry and Commerce, and the keynote speakers were John Kallaugher, a lawyer and visiting professor at University College London, and Friðrik Már Baldursson, a professor at the School of Business and Economics at the University of Iceland. In addition to the keynote speakers, the directors of four Nordic competition authorities also gave presentations: Claes Norgren from Sweden, Finn Lauritzen from Denmark, Knut Eggum Johansen from Norway, and Páll Gunnar Pálsson. The chairman was Gylfi Magnússon, an associate professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Iceland and chairman of the board of the Competition Authority.
The main topic of the conference was how governments should tackle oligopoly in smaller economies. The following questions were posed: Is there a need for stricter competition rules in smaller economies where concentration is high and oligopoly is common? Should market-dominant firms be broken up? Is corporate cross-ownership a problem? What are the most effective government tools for addressing the consequences of increased oligopoly? What is the experience of other countries? What are the priorities of the Competition Authority?
Speeches and slides from the keynote speakers and directors-general of the competition authorities can be found below:
