Latest hearings on Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century consider the FTC’s historical record and global context.

On April 12, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held the 13th installment in its series of at least 14 scheduled hearings on Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century. This hearing focused on what the FTC may be able to learn from conducting merger retrospectives: studies of what happens to competition after mergers close, are blocked, or are modified through divestitures or behavioral consent decrees. This hearing followed on the heels of another hearing in the series that considered the FTC’s role within global competition regulatory regimes. With both hearings, participating commissioners and staff signaled continuing interest in finding ways for the FTC to refine and (for some) expand its tools for curbing competitive harm in the 21st century economy.