Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Cooperation Arrangement

OTTAWA, December 13, 2000 — Canadian, Australian and New Zealand competition agencies recently signed a cooperation arrangement regarding the application of their competition and consumer laws. The cooperation arrangement is part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the Competition Bureau has the tools to deal effectively with increasingly globalized markets. Anti-competitive activities which may affect more than one country demonstrate the need for more co-operation among antitrust agencies in order to ensure compliance with, and effective enforcement of, competition laws.

The cooperation arrangement will allow the Bureau to improve coordination with counterparts in Australia and New Zealand.

This is the first cooperation arrangement that the Competition Bureau has entered into with other competition agencies. Although somewhat less comprehensive in scope than agreements between countries, this cooperation arrangement contains similar provisions to existing state-to-state cooperation agreements Canada signed with the United States in 1995 and the European Communities in 1999. It sets out a framework for notification, co-ordination and co-operation on enforcement activities, exchange of information and avoidance of conflict. However, it is unique in that it fully incorporates deceptive marketing practices into the co-operation framework.

Click here for a copy of the cooperation arrangement, or call the Bureau's toll free number at: 1-800-348-5358."

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency whose mandate is to maintain and encourage competition in Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Cynthia Grant
Communications Directorate
819-994-0349