On February 20 and 21, Pierre Barthelmé, President of the Luxembourg Competition Authority, attended a meeting of the directors general of European competition authorities held in Vienna. This gathering was organized by the European Competition Authorities (ECA) network.

During the two-day event, over 30 European countries' competition directors exchanged insights on several important topics. These included the current and future landscape of merger control, industrial policy, trade, and the enforcement of competition rules.

Additionally, discussions covered international cooperation, including bilateral agreements and frameworks involving the International Competition Network (ICN), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), as well as technical assistance initiatives.

Other significant topics included cases of abuse of dominant position and sector inquiries, which are crucial for maintaining fair competition across the European market.

The ECA, established in 2001, is an informal network that brings together all competition authorities from the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Its primary goal is to enhance cooperation among competition authorities and ensure effective application of national and European competition rules, particularly concerning business concentrations.