U.S., E.U. Meet to Discuss Continuing Antitrust Cooperation

The most senior antitrust officials of the United States (Federal Trade Commission Chairman Timothy Muris, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Charles James) and the European Union (Commissioner Mario Monti) met in Washington D.C. on September 24 for a day-long working session on a wide agenda of topical policy issues.

Today's meeting provided the parties the opportunity to reflect upon past cooperative endeavors in the areas of merger review, cartel investigations, and other antitrust matters, as well as to discuss means of sustaining and expanding these efforts.

Proceeding from the experience of the last 10 years, agency heads discussed an agenda of consultation and cooperation over the coming year. Notable features include ongoing consultations between agency staffs and senior level consultations on significant policy initiatives. In particular, the agencies determined to expand and intensify the efforts of the ongoing E.U./U.S. working group on mergers.