Students for the Promotion of International Law (SPIL) – Mumbai, will be hosting its annual flagship event – The 8th Government Law College International Law Summit from the 3rd to 5th February, 2017. The Theme for the 2017 version is ‘International Competition Law and Policy’. Lex Witness supports the initiative as Official Magazine Partner.

International Competition law and policy has unfolded in notable ways over the past two decades. Internationally, the advancement of competition regulation has been driven by the intersection of two forces. Firstly, business and commerce have continued to grow exponentially. Secondly, the number of countries embracing competition law regimes has expanded significantly. In the late 1980s, only 20 jurisdictions had a system of competition law. Today, this has expanded to over 100. Appreciating the developments globally, the Competition Act, 2002 has been enforced in India with the aim of promoting and sustaining economic competition and at the same time, preventing those practices which have adverse effects on it. Moreover, its objective was to protect the interests of the consumers and to ensure the existence of the freedom of trade in the markets. The International Competition Network was set up in 2001 as an informal virtual network meant to intensify cooperation among the competition law authorities all over the world. 14 countries became its members on its inception. This membership has risen to more than 130 members as of 2013.

Having taken cognizance of the increasing relevance of this area of law, the 2017 version of the Summit seeks to facilitate a comprehensive deliberation on the Theme in light of the many developments that have taken place in the sphere of International Competition Law and Policy

The Summit is an eclectic mix of lectures, presentations, a Panel Discussion and two competitions which will engage students from across the world in an intriguing battle of wits. The Summit offers a global platform for deliberation, discussion, and needless to say, a never-before opportunity to engage with some of the greatest minds in the country.

The Summit witnesses seminars conducted by leading law firms and experts within the realm of the Theme, effectively bringing together the entire legal fraternity spanning firms and practitioners. The centerpiece of the Summit is a Web-Conference which last year was with the Trade in Services Division of the World Trade Organization, based upon the agenda: ‘What we have learned: Telecom and ICT on WTO dispute settlement cases’.

Mindful of the recent domestic and global developments, a Panel Discussion shall be organized on a socio-legal topic under Competition Law and Policy, catering to the wider interests of an audience that does not exclusively belong to a legal background.

The student participants are given an opportunity to engage in two novel Competitions, the Judgment Deliberation Competition and the Treaty Appreciation Competition, unique to the Government Law College International Law Summit.

The previous Summits have received an overwhelming response from experts and members of the academic and legal fraternity. Last year, the Summit witnessed the presence of Edward G. Baldwin, Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Washington D.C., U.S.A., Kabir Duggal, Senior Associate, Baker & McKenzie, New York, U.S.A., \ Supratim Chakraborty, Principal Associate, Khaitan & Co., \ Akshay Nagpal, Partner, JSA, Gurgaon, \ Brijesh Singh, Inspector General of Police (Cyber), Senior IPS Officer, Maharashtra Police, Vismay Shroff, Associate, Parimal K. Shroff & Co., Rohas Nagpal, Founder President, Asian School of Cyber Laws and Ms. Aditi Saxton, Senior Editor, Mumbai Mirror.

The 8th Summit, similarly, is proposed to host the august presence of eminent stalwarts having experience and expertise in Competition Law and Policy. SPIL, Mumbai in its humble endeavour to promote the study and research of International law, believes in encapsulating various views and perspectives on the subject and fostering discussion between students and experts. We wholeheartedly invite you to the summit scheduled from 3rd to 5th of February 2017 and encourage you to register for Delegate Application to [email protected].

We cherish the opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals, as we celebrate the joyous exploration of the many nuances of International Competition Law and Policy.