Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ANTITRUST NEWS: Canada Competition Bureau provides submission to OECD on airline industry, (Jun 16, 2014)

The Canada Competition Bureau announced today that it has provided a submission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Competition Committee Roundtable on airline competition.

The Bureau prepared its submission with the aim of sharing its knowledge and experience with competition issues in Canada's airline industry with its international partners. By participating in the Roundtable, the Bureau will benefit from learning about the experiences of other enforcement agencies from around the world in addressing competition issues in their respective airline industries.

The OECD submission provides (1) a brief history of the airline industry in Canada, including a high-level overview of key changes in the industry and the evolution of Canada’s regulatory and legislative environment since the 1980s; (2) information regarding the Bureau’s major enforcement cases in the industry since 2001; and (3) details about the Bureau’s approach in examining alleged anti-competitive behavior since 2001.

Since 2001, the Bureau has taken a number of enforcement actions in the airline industry involving, among other things, allegations of criminal price-fixing conspiracies, anti-competitive mergers and agreements between competitors, and abuse of dominance.

Participation in international organizations like the OECD strengthens the Bureau’s ability to effectively administer and enforce the Competition Act, which benefits consumers and businesses alike, according to the agency. Meetings with international counterparts allow the Bureau to share best practices and benefit from the knowledge and experience of other enforcement agencies around the world, improving the Bureau’s effectiveness in fulfilling its enforcement role.

The Canada Competition Bureau, as an independent law enforcement agency, ensures that Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace.

News: Antitrust