About the Office of International Affairs

Randolph W. Tritell, Director

The FTC works with competition and consumer protection agencies around the world to promote cooperation and convergence toward best practices. The FTC has built a strong network of cooperative relationships with its counterparts abroad, and plays a lead role in key multilateral fora.

In the competition area, the FTC works closely with foreign competition agencies on cases of mutual interest to promote sound and consistent analyses and outcomes. We also promote policy convergence both through bilateral relationships and international organizations such as the International Competition Network and the Competition Committee of the OECD. The FTC co-chairs the ICN's unilateral conduct working group, heads its subgroup on merger notification and review, and co-chairs its work on finding ways to make technical assistance more effective. The FTC participates in negotiating bilateral antitrust cooperation agreements and competition chapters of US Free Trade Agreements.

In the consumer protection area, the FTC works with foreign law enforcement agencies on investigations and cases that affect U.S. consumers. Through memoranda of understanding with consumer protection enforcement agencies in foreign countries, and through multilateral organizations such as the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network and the anti-spam London Action Plan, we engage in information-sharing and investigative cooperation for law enforcement actions. We also develop policies that promote consumer choice and encourage consumer confidence in the international marketplace, with a focus on e-commerce and emerging technologies, through international organizations such as the Committee on Consumer Policy of the OECD, the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy of the OECD, the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy of the OECD, the APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group and its Data Privacy Subgroup, and the APEC Telecommunication and Information Working Group.

The FTC also actively assists developing countries in their transition to market-based economies and their development of competition and consumer protection agencies. It provides advice to such agencies and, in partnership with the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, operates a technical assistance program.

The Office of International Affairs can be reached at (202) 326-2600.


Last Modified: Friday, 30-Nov-2007 14:15:00 EST