WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- The United States and Canada agreed Tuesday to improve how each country refers cases of anticompetitive business activities to the other's law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras represented the United States at the signing of the agreement, while Canadian Ambassador Michael Kergin represented Canada.
"In our global economy, cooperation with other governments on antitrust matters is essential," said Attorney General Ashcroft. Today's agreement enhances cooperation between the United States and Canada, and has significantly improved each nation's ability to enforce the law."
The new agreement identifies the types of cases one party will normally refer to the other, and lists the obligations authorities have in handling such cases.
Specifically, the agreement provides the requesting party will defer or suspend its enforcement activities in favor of a referral to the other country when the foreign anticompetitive activities do not directly or principally affect the requesting party's consumers, the Justice Department said.
