Deadline: January 18, 2019
Applications are open for the World Bank Group/International Competition Network (ICN) Competition Advocacy Contest 2018-2019. The contest aims to highlight the key role competition agencies, sector regulators and other governmental bodies or non governmental organizations play in promoting competition by showcasing their advocacy success stories.
As defined by the ICN, competition advocacy refers to activities that promote a competitive environment through non-enforcement mechanisms, such as building relationships with government entities, increasing public awareness of competition’s benefits and identifying and removing anticompetitive policies and regulations.
Thematic Areas
They are looking for success stories from competition agencies, other public bodies or civil society that demonstrate the tangible results of competition advocacy regarding:
- Theme 1: Understanding the effects of competition policy on poverty and inequality in both developing and developed countries: Increased competition can positively impact the welfare of less well-off households in their role as consumers, producers, and employees. However, the relationship between competition and poverty is complex and not always straightforward. Competition authorities and other relevant stakeholders may undertake advocacy initiatives to understand the effects of competition on inequality and poverty and to explain to the government and the public how competition policy can contribute to alleviate poverty and inequality.
- Theme 2: Promoting competition as a tool to the fight against corruption and for an equal playing field among public and private players: Stronger market competition can be a powerful tool to fight corruption. Pro-competitive procurement rules in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and other rules that guarantee competitive neutrality can reduce the risk of corruption and avoid bid rigging. In addition to the clear links between the fight against bid rigging and corruption in tender processes, fierce competition gives competitors the incentive to monitor and report illegal behavior in their markets, including those associated with corruption.
- Theme 3: Engaging with public and private stakeholders to better grasp competition challenges posed by fast changing market dynamics: Competition authorities can be proactive and promote activities, also together with public and private stakeholders, to learn about the use of big data, blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence, as well as implications of these new technologies in areas other than competition (e.g.,for labor markets) in the new gig-economy.
- Theme 4: Promoting competitive digital infrastructure, digital platforms and digital finance: Services in the digital economy require competition at various levels of the value chain: at the infrastructure and enabling technology level (e.g. ICT), at the digital platform level and at the ultimate service sector level. Finance is a key service to foster economic development and digital finance is one of the sectors with many recent regulatory developments that could benefit from a pro-competition design.
Eligibility
- Competition agencies, sector regulators and other government and non-government bodies promoting competition policy are welcome to apply;
- Stories submitted to previous editions of the contest that were not awarded are eligible for resubmission.
Selection Process
Submissions will undergo a rigorous assessment of the following criteria:
- Relevance of the competition issue tackled by the initiative;
- Success of the advocacy activity – results achieved;
- Impact and effects on markets, spillover effects and lessons learned;
- Advocacy strategy – creativity and originality, cooperation mechanisms deployed.
Application
Submitted stories must include:
- Summary;
- The competition issue under assessment;
- The strategy used to address the competition issue;
- The main messages and recommendations conveyed by the activity;
- The results of the initiative;
- The actual or expected socioeconomic impacts of the initiative.
For more information, visit World Bank Group.
