The International Institutions of Competition Law: The Systems’ Norms

This chapter examines four institutions that have or prospectively may have a significant role to play in global competition law or policy: the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Competition Network (ICN). For each institution, it first describes the institutional system to the extent necessary to report what process norms are implied or express in the inputs and outputs of the system. It then examines the norms against notional international standards. Finally, it offers a critical evaluation and recommendations. It is shown that compliance with institutional performance and due process norms varies considerably among the four international institutions, as do their institutional design and mandate.