Chairman Joo Byungki of the Fair Trade Commission Holds Consecutive Bilateral Consultations with Australia and Italy to Strengthen International Cooperation

Key Policy Discussions Including the Strengthening of Bargaining Power for Smaller Suppliers

Australia’s “Class Exemption Scheme” Shared

Joo Byungki, Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, who is attending the 25th International Competition Network (ICN) Annual Conference in Manila, Philippines, held a series of bilateral consultations with competition authorities from Australia and Italy, aiming to strengthen the international cooperation framework. Through these consultations, the Fair Trade Commission shared trends in global competition law enforcement and confirmed the international alignment of Korea’s system.

Chairman Joo Byung-ki (right) of the Korea Fair Trade Commission and Gina Cass-Gottlieb, Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Korea Fair Trade Commission.

On May 6, Chairman Joo met with Gina Kass-Godlip, Chairwoman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), to discuss institutional improvements aimed at strengthening the bargaining power of smaller suppliers. The Fair Trade Commission introduced Korea’s measures to enhance collective bargaining rights for small business owners, while the Australian side shared the operational results of the “Class Exemption Scheme” that was introduced in 2021. Under Australia’s Class Exemption Scheme, small businesses below a certain size are exempted from competition law for three years after notifying the competition authority, enabling more effective collective bargaining. Both sides agreed to continue exchanging policy insights related to these initiatives.

On May 7, Chairman Joo also held bilateral talks with Elizabetta Iosa, Acting Chairwoman of the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), and others. During the meeting, Chairman Joo explained policy directions to enhance the strictness of law enforcement, including raising the surcharge rates for repeat offenders and organizational reforms to reduce case processing times. The Italian side highly evaluated the Fair Trade Commission’s efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of sanctions, stating that these measures serve as a deterrent in line with international standards.

Chairman Joo stated, “Through these consultations, we have confirmed that the policy direction of our Fair Trade Commission aligns with global standards,” and added, “We will continue to improve the effectiveness of our system through close cooperation with major countries abroad.”

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