This panel will review the competition provisions found in different types of Regional Trade Agreements (RTA) in order to support and guide policy makers on the negotiation and implementation of regional and bilateral agreements with respect to competition policies. Delegates will have before them a book which the Secretariat prepared to assist in the discussions. The Book identifies some 300 bilateral and regional agreements, of which more than 100 contain commitments on competition policies with implications at both regional and national level. This discussion should lead to a better understanding of competition provisions in RTAs for trade and competition policy makers and authorities that implement such policies.

Delegates are invited to submit written communications on this topic, share their experiences during the discussions, and provide the meeting with relevant material which is already publicly available. Delegates wishing to make a structured intervention during the round table are invited to inform the Secretariat.