Inaugural CCS-ESS Essay Competition Raises Awareness of Competition Policy and Law

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1. Partnering with the Economic Society of Singapore (ESS), the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) launched the CCS-ESS Essay Competition on 10 January 2014 with the theme on “Competition Policy and Law in Singapore: Opportunities and Challenges”. The objective of the contest was to raise public awareness and encourage debate on competition policy and law issues in Singapore.

2.     CCS was pleased to have received some 70 entries across 3 categories - Pre-University, University and Open. The essays covered a wide range of competition issues being examined from the economics as well as legal viewpoints, and offered useful insights for advancing the competition regime in Singapore. These essays were judged by an independent panel comprising local as well as overseas well-regarded industry experts and competition practitioners

3.    Minister for Social and Family Development, Mr Chan Chun Sing, presented the winners with their awards last evening at Mandarin Orchard Singapore as the Guest-of-Honour for the ESS Annual Dinner 2014. The top three winners of each category can be found at  Annex A.

4.    Mr Toh Han Li, Chief Executive, CCS, commented, “We are pleased with the response to the inaugural run of this competition. It has helped to generate greater awareness and understanding of competition policy and law in Singapore. We also saw good debate on competition issues and fresh perspectives being offered, which are useful in enhancing the competition regime in Singapore.”

CCS 10^th Anniversary (2015)

5.    Besides encouraging debate and building a body of literature on competition issues in Singapore, the CCS-ESS Essay Competition marks one of the events in the run up to CCS’s 10^th Anniversary in 2015.

6.    To kick off this milestone anniversary, CCS is organising the CCS-SAL Conference on 21-22 August. This is CCS’s biennial flagship event which serves as a platform to gain invaluable insights on the latest developments in competition policy and law from local and international competition experts. Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry and National Development, Mr Lee Yi Shyan will deliver the opening address, followed by a keynote address by Professor David Evans, Chairman,  Global Economics Group who will speak on the theme of “How competition policy and law facilitates innovation and drives economic growth. “

7.    This year’s conference theme is about the lessons learnt from the successes and challenges since the introduction of competition law in Singapore and the establishment of CCS in 2005, as well as the opportunities to define the role of competition law for the years ahead. The Conference will see distinguished international and local competition experts speaking on local as well as international competition.

About the Competition Commission of Singapore

CCS is a statutory board established under the Competition Act (Chapter 50B) on 1 January 2005 to administer and enforce the Act. It comes under the purview of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Act empowers CCS to investigate alleged anti-competitive activities, determine if such activities infringe the Act and impose suitable remedies, directions and financial penalties.

For more information, please visit www.ccs.gov.sg.

About Economic Society of Singapore

The Economic Society of Singapore (ESS) is a non-profit organisation of economists and other professionals interested in economics. ESS brings together members of the economics profession in academia, the government and business sectors and provides a platform for discussions on issues facing the Singapore economy and the region. The primary objective of the Society is to raise public awareness, and stimulate public interest and debate, in economic issues. It does this by organizing conferences, talks, workshops and public lectures and by conducting studies on issues, either on its own or in partnership with other organizations.

For more information, please visit www.ess.org.sg

For media clarification, please contact

Ms Lim Le-Anne
Senior Assistant Director
Strategic Planning Division
Competition Commission of Singapore
Email: lim_le-anne@ccs.gov.sg
DID: 6325 8304 / 9478 8824