Second Global Governance of Competition Law and Policy Colloquium

ICN Side Event 

Second Global Governance of Competition Law and Policy Colloquium

Manila, Philippines

Event sponsored by

• Centre for Law, Economics and Society, UCL Faculty of Laws
• University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law
• Inclusive Competition Forum

Supported by

• The Philippine Competition Commission
• Competition Law and Policy Program of the University of the Philippines 

Co-organised by

• Professor Ioannis Lianos (UCL, NYU),
• Professor Julian Nowag (Hong Kong University)
• Dr. Stavros Markis (UCL)

About this event

THIS EVENT IS HELD UNDER CHATHAM HOUSE RULES

In an era marked by geopolitical realignments, technological transformation, and evolving state–market relations, competition law and policy are facing unprecedented challenges. This event brings together leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to examine how the traditional boundaries of competition law are being tested by strategic trade dynamics, new forms of state involvement in digital infrastructures, and the growing pressures across key sectors such as AI governance and higher education. The panels will explore how competition frameworks can adapt to safeguard openness, accountability, and innovation while responding to the realities of economic security, public dependence on private technologies, and structural change in global markets.

Panel 1: Strategic Trade and Competition Policy – Implications for Global Governance

This panel will explore how the global shift from rule-based multilateral trade to “alliance-based” and security-driven economic policymaking is reshaping competition law. As trade increasingly aligns with national security priorities and geopolitical alliances, competition authorities face unprecedented dilemmas: how to reconcile traditional goals of efficiency, consumer welfare, and market openness with strategic concerns about supply chain resilience, technological sovereignty, and industrial policy.

Speakers will examine whether competition law can remain a neutral, economics-based discipline or must evolve into a tool of economic statecraft serving national and allied interests. The discussion will also consider the divergent approaches emerging across jurisdictions, risks of regulatory fragmentation, and the implications for smaller states navigating this new, bloc-based global order.

For a discussion of the themes of this Panel, see Lianos, Ioannis, Polycentric Competition Law : The Geo-economic Turn (April 09, 2026). Available at SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6556220

Panel 2: Competition Law and Policy in Idiosyncratic State-Related and Driven Sectors

Stream 1: AI Public Infrastructures and Governmental AI

This discussion will focus on the competition and sovereignty challenges arising when governments rely on major digital platforms for AI and data infrastructure. As state functions (including health, security, and welfare) become dependent on proprietary AI systems, competition law faces new questions about data sovereignty, accountability, and market access. The panel will explore how procurement and competition frameworks might evolve to reduce systemic dependencies, ensure algorithmic transparency, and safeguard democratic oversight.

Stream 2: Competition Policy in the Education Sector

This session will examine the intersection of competition law, higher education, and financial pressures. As universities compete globally for students, talent, and funding while confronting severe economic strain, cooperation and consolidation increasingly blur with collusion. The discussion will address how competition law can differentiate legitimate collaboration from anti-competitive conduct, and how enforcement can balance institutional survival, innovation policy, and equitable access to education.

Participants include: 

This event is Invitation only. 

Please contact Dr Stavros Makris for further information on s.makris@ucl.ac.uk