The Croatian Association for Competition Law and Policy (HDPPTN) organized the 9th edition of the international conference titled “Competition Law: At the Crossroads” from May 22 to 24, 2025, in Split. This event honored the late professor Vedran Šoljan, a pioneer in Croatian competition law.

The conference attracted a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from national competition authorities, judicial institutions, legal practitioners, and academics. Participants engaged in discussions about pressing issues in competition law, particularly focusing on innovation's role, the new European Commission Guidelines on Article 102 TFEU, legal challenges from the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation, and the proposed New Competition Tool.

Keynote speeches were delivered by notable experts, including Prof. Nicolas Petit from the European University Institute, who emphasized the importance of evaluating firms' innovation capabilities in merger control, and Prof. Michal Gal from the University of Haifa, who discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on competition and living costs.

The conference featured three thematic panels: one on the European Competition Network and Regulation 1/2003, which addressed enforcement challenges; another on public procurement and bid rigging, focusing on current enforcement issues; and a third on competition and sports, exploring the intersection of competition law and sports regulation.

The final day included interactive workshops led by Croatian experts, allowing participants to engage in practical discussions. Mirta Kapural, PhD, president of the Croatian Competition Council, opened the conference by underscoring its significance for the evolution of competition law in Croatia and the EU. Additionally, CCA representatives participated in workshops discussing merger control practices.