Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department Hold Trilateral Meeting with Competition Enforcers from Mexico and Canada

The Federal Trade Commission participated in a trilateral meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, with enforcers from Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission, Canada’s Competition Bureau, and the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. The meeting took place at FTC headquarters in Washington, D.C., and included roundtable discussions on agency enforcement priorities and the current legal environment in each jurisdiction.

“Working closely with our North American neighbors is key for promoting fair, open, and competitive markets,” Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan said. “Deepening collaboration and cooperation lets us strengthen our respective approaches to enforcement and better protect our citizens.”

Canadian Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, Acting Chair Commissioner Brenda Hernandez of the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission, and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.

“Canada and Mexico are important partners for the United States in upholding antitrust laws and protecting North American workers and consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “As antitrust enforcement increasingly spans international borders, building a unified response is vital to meeting today’s market realities. Cooperation among neighboring agencies is a crucial step in this process.”   

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan led a discussion of competition priorities and recent developments in the United States, Canada, and Mexico that will inform expanded cooperation in the future.

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter led a conversation on merger enforcement, focusing on the digital economy and forthcoming revisions to the U.S. merger guidelines. Canadian Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell led a discussion of enforcement challenges posed by the digital economy, and Acting Chair Commissioner Brenda Hernandez of the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission led a discussion of changes in the legal environment in the three countries.

This year’s meeting marks the first joint in-person gathering between the four agencies since 2019, after a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.