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The Pros and Cons of Fighting Inflation with Competition Policy

Our annual international Pros and Cons conference, where academics and practitioners meet and discuss critical aspects of competition law and policy will take place in Stockholm on Monday 8 May, 2023. Previous conferences, widely attended by enforcers, lawyers and consultants, have been greatly appreciated and we are certain that this year’s event will be no exception.

Follow the livestream for the Pros and Cons of Fighting Inflation with Competition Policy

The theme of the 21st edition of the Pros and Cons conference in 2023 is motivated by the current economic crises where inflation have reached levels not seen in decades. The situation is critical for many as central banks have tightened monetary policy. Living costs for households have risen dramatically and led to calls for political action in many countries, including market intervention. Does weak competition bear part of the blame for the situation? Can competition policy be part of the solution to the crises?

Keynote address introduces the theme, which is followed by three panels.

  • Panel 1: Does weak competition lead to more inflation?

  • Panel 2: Politicians consider new interventions to curb inflation – is competition at risk?

  • Panel 3: Does inflation weaken competition?

Conference Programme

Time Title
8.30 Registration and Coffee
9.00 Welcome address by Rikard Jermsten, Director General, Swedish Competition Authority
9.10

Keynote address: Can competition policy help fight inflation?

Lars Magnusson, Professor of Economic History, Uppsala University

Richard Friberg, Professor of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics 

10.10 Coffee break
10.30

Panel 1: Does weak competition lead to more inflation?

Martin Flodén, Deputy Governor, The Riksbank
Tina Søreide, Director General, Norwegian Competition Authority

Páll Gunnar Pálsson, Director General, Icelandic Competition Authority
Moderator: Karl Lundvall, Swedish Competition Authority

12.00 Lunch
13.10

Panel 2: Politicians consider new interventions to curb inflation – is competition at risk?

Ana Sofia Rodrigues, Chief Economist, Portuguese Competition Authority

Pierre Régibeau, Chief Competition Economist, DG Competition

Ioannis Lianos, President, Hellenic Competition Authority

Moderator: Sten Nyberg, Professor of Economics, Stockholm University

14.30 Coffee break
14.50

Panel 3: Does inflation weaken competition?

Antonio Buttà, Chief Economist, Italian Competition Authority

Linda Gratz, Director, E.CA Economics
Vanessa Turner, Senior Advisor, BEUC
Moderator: Martin Mandorff, Swedish Competition Authority 

16.10-16.15

 

Concluding remarks

 

Venue

The conference venue is World Trade Center (Meeting room: New York), Klarabergsviadukten 70, Stockholm. See map

Questions

If you have any question regarding the conference, please do not hesitate to contact the project manager Alma Hemberg () or the content organiser Karl Lundvall ().

In case of questions regarding your registration or if you need to cancel, please contact Gabriela Broja ( ) administration/logistics.

Registration

The conference is free of charge. The registration for in-person participation is closed.

Webcast

The conference will be broadcasted live. The link to the livestream is published on this webpage (no pre-registration is needed for the webcast).

Follow the livestream for the Pros and Cons of Fighting Inflation with Competition Policy

The information on this website will continuously be updated.