Cartels are inherently secretive, making them difficult for competition authorities to detect, investigate and successfully prosecute. These challenges are compounded by an increasingly global economy and the digitalisation of markets.

Beyond detection, successful prosecution of international cartels raises further difficulties including complex legal and economic arguments about whether the cartel’s conduct produces direct and substantial local effects.

This panel will consider whether pursuing prosecution of complex international cartels is a meaningful use of authorities’ resources, or whether such resources are directed toward local investigations and advocacy initiatives.