A vision for competition : competition policy towards 2020.

Abstract

Stable and sustainable economic growth is a shared goal of all Nordic economies. However, there are some challenges to this goal that are fairly similar across the Nordic countries. This report aims to discuss the role that competition, competition policy and the Nordic Competition Authorities (NCAs) - through the promotion and safeguarding of competition - can play in order to achieve the goal of sustained economic growth in a future perspective stretching towards 2020 and beyond.

The challenges to sustained economic growth highlighted in this report include, first, like for most OECD countries, a slowdown in productivity growth rates over the last decades.

Second, global competition from fast-growing economies in Asia, Africa and Latin America constitute a challenge to the competitiveness of the Nordic business sector, not only with regard to prices but also in terms of quality and knowledge content. Third, the combination of an ageing population and a shrinking share of the population of working age also challenge the goal of stable and sustained economic growth. Admittedly, these challenges call for action on a broad front and require that various policies and instruments must be put into play. As this report aims to show, competition and competition policy form part of a broader solution to these challenges.