Brisbane, 22 April 2022 – Fifteen participants from six ASEAN competition law authorities participated in the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) Competition Law Implementation Programme’s (CLIP) “CLIP Scholars”. CLIP Scholars was a nine-week customised online competition law course delivered by the University of Queensland between 14 February and 22 April 2022. The Scholars undertook learning on the context, foundational pillars, and enforcement powers associated with various competition laws. Through this program participants strengthened their knowledge of competition law terms and concepts, their familiarity with tools to identify competition law issues, and studied competition law cases from a range of jurisdictions.  AANZFTA CLIP is delivered with support from the AANZFTA Economic Cooperation Support Programme (AECSP) and in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat.

Programme Facilitator Ms Rachel Burgess said of the programme, “The course was designed to explore the competition laws across the participating ASEAN Member States, together with international best practice examples from established competition jurisdictions including Europe, the United States and Australia. Discussions focussed on exploring similarities and differences between the laws, thereby helping participants deepen their understanding and share knowledge of their laws. Workshop case studies allowed participants to apply legal concepts and explain their jurisdictional nuances to their ASEAN colleagues, thereby increasing knowledge across the region.

‘It is such an exciting time to be involved in competition law and policy in the ASEAN region. I look forward to observing its continuing development over the coming years,“ she added.

The programme provided participants with insights into the legal rules that govern competition law and the key economic theories, principles, and frameworks that support its application through webinars, workshops, and practical activities. The online programme featured a discussion of questions and case studies (drawing on Australian, USA, EU and ASEAN case law), with guest speakers from across Australia and ASEAN who provided unique and varied perspectives on competition law issues.

Mr Phiwath Dok from the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce said, “Being part of CLIP Scholars has empowered me with further competition law understanding of the AANZFTA region and other ASEAN Member State’s jurisdictions. In Cambodia, as we work to implement the Law on Competition, I look forward to being able to use this knowledge and share it with my colleagues. By developing a broad understanding of the competition laws in AANZFTA, we can facilitate greater cooperation and support stronger, more effective regulation.”

For further information, please contact the AANZFTA Support Unit at aanzfta_inquiry@asean.org or the AANZFTA CLIP Team at clip@accc.gov.au.