International Technical Assistance

The FTC provides technical assistance to countries in the developing world, both in competition and consumer protection, primarily using funds provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. The program promotes U.S. interests by encouraging economic growth and development and commercial law reform. The FTC program is currently active in the Andean Community, Central America, Mexico, South Africa, India, and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Together with the DOJ Antitrust Division, experienced antitrust lawyers and economists have engaged in numerous short term missions on topics for countries without adequate framework laws or enforcement institutions, including countries where there is little historical appreciation for the benefits of a competition culture. More recently, missions have focused on training in the development of basic investigative skills and techniques. In a few cases, including South Africa and Indonesia, the U.S.agencies have provided resident advisors, who have worked day to day with foreign colleagues in the development of skills and techniques, and in coordinating more specific programs for follow-up short term missions. Experienced FTC consumer protection lawyers and economists are a growing presence internationally, through short term missions with a special focus on e-commerce. These missions stress that consumer welfare and freedom of choice is advanced by competitive marketing that conveys accurate rather that fraudulent or deceptive information.


Last Modified: Monday, 04-Aug-2008 13:50:00 EDT