Budapest, 31 May 2023 - The joint training centre of the Hungarian Competition Authority and the OECD will continue the successful European Commission-funded training courses for competition judges in Budapest, which have been running for the past few years. This year's first seminar of the training series brought together 30 judges from 16 countries to the Hungarian capital.
On 30 May 2023 started the two-day training seminar of the Regional Centre for Competition, jointly run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH), in Budapest. The European Commission-funded Hungarian Competition Judges Training, which has become a successful tradition in recent years, will this year also aim to share knowledge on competition law and policy among judges in the European region with two seminars, one in the spring and one in the autumn.
This two-day event will cover two major topics: recent case law on the concepts of market power, dominance and abuse (in both traditional and digital markets), and EU competition law developments in regulated markets (pharmaceuticals, telecoms and energy), with a particular focus on horizontal cooperation agreements. Once again, the participants of the seminar will be assisted by experts from the OECD and the European Court of Justice, as well as competition authorities and companies, to help them understand and master the practical issues involved.
"Independent judicial review of competition authority decisions is essential to ensure the correct application of competition law and the efficient functioning of markets. Balanced judicial review strengthens the legitimacy of public authority decisions and improves the respect and public perception of our enforcement efforts, - said Csaba Balázs Rigó, President of the Hungarian Competition Authority in his opening speech.
The Regional Centre for Competition in Budapest has been jointly operated by the GVH and the OECD since 2005 with the aim of building on the professional background of the two organisations to provide support in the field of competition law and policy, primarily to competition authorities in the countries of Eastern, South-Eastern and Central Europe. More information on the activities of the training centre can be found on the websites of the Hungarian Competition Authority and the Regional Centre for Competition .
The Hungarian Competition Authority has traditionally had strong international links and in 2022 it was able to play an even more prominent role in the global competition arena than before. The experts of the national competition authority have shared their experience at numerous international events, and the GVH has earned important positions in the working groups of various intergovernmental organisations. A detailed discussion on the areas, benefits and forums for international cooperation between competition authorities and the active role of the Hungarian authority can be heard in the latest GVH podcast.
GVH Public Service Communications and International Section
Further information:
Bálint Horváth, Head of Communication +36 20 238 6939
Katalin Gondolovics, Spokesperson +36 30 603 1170