The International Competition Network (ICN) and the Hungarian Competition Authority are hosting a significant meeting in Budapest from April 23-25, 2025. This event brings together 59 experts from 45 countries across six continents, providing a platform for sharing insights and experiences related to competition policy.

Sessions at the conference are led by professors from prestigious universities, including Toronto, New York, Leuven, East Anglia, and Queen’s. Topics of discussion include the impact of digital platforms on market competition and consumer behavior, modern antitrust detection tools, regulatory intervention evaluation methods, and the influence of artificial intelligence on competition.

Csaba Balázs Rigó, President of the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) and a member of the ICN Steering Group, opened the conference by emphasizing the complex challenges faced by competition authorities today. He noted that these challenges include digital space infringements, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the inflationary pressures experienced in recent years.

The GVH has been proactive in monitoring developments in the digital sector, having conducted a market analysis on AI's potential impact in 2024. The findings led to several recommendations for the Hungarian legislator, aimed at shaping a renewed national strategy for AI.

Representing the Croatian Competition Agency (CCA), Davor Jakolić, Senior Advisor in the Office of the Chief Economist, participated in a panel discussion on digital platforms. He presented findings from the CCA's sector inquiry into the market for digital food delivery platforms.

The biennial Chief Economist Meetings serve as a vital forum for senior economists from national competition authorities and esteemed academic representatives to engage in discussions about the economic dimensions of competition policy.