Recent Developments of Competition Law in the PR China and Hong Kong SAR

2011 promises to be a significant year for the developing competition law regimes of Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China (PRC).

In Hong Kong, a comprehensive Competition Bill is already undergoing scrutiny by a legislative committee comprised of both known advocates and opponents of competition law. Although the committee's review of the Bill is scheduled to continue into early 2012, there are expectations that the Bill's prospects will become clear in the months ahead - and that by year's end it will be known whether "the world's freest economy" will join the ever swelling ranks of jurisdictions with a cross-sector competition law.

In the PRC, the key question is whether 2011 will bring a new enforcement focus to the Anti-Monopoly Law's "conduct rules", which to date have remained largely dormant (unlike the merger control provisions in the law). As relevant PRC enforcement agencies appear to be ramping up their efforts to finalize implementing regulations relating to these rules, many commentators believe the Anti-Monopoly Law may soon begin to impact foreign and domestic business operators in a much broader way than occurs at present - potentially subjecting matters such as pricing, trading terms, distribution methods and joint venture arrangements by businesses in the PRC to a whole new field of legal scrutiny.

In this context, the UIA is pleased to present a new seminar that will look at recent developments relating to the emerging regimes in Hong Kong and the PRC, and consider how progress in relation to each regime over the coming year and beyond may impact the regional (and global) business environment.

We are pleased to have invited experts in the area of competition law in different jurisdictions in Europe and Asia to share with us their insights in this important practice area for legal practitioners.

The seminar will also be very much interactive with a view to provoking thoughts and views from the attendees.

We also offer the unique possibility to meet with internationally interested lawyers from Mainland China during an excursion to Shenzhen on Saturday, March 19.

Please download the programme and the registration form