The Intergovernmental Group of Experts will focus on the following topics:

• The Impact of Cartels on the Poor

• Prioritization and resource allocation as a tool for agency effectiveness

• Modalities and procedures for international cooperation in competition cases involving more than one country

• Voluntary Peer Reviews of Competition Law and Policy of Nicaragua, Pakistan and Ukraine

• Review of capacity building activities extended to young competition agencies

In addition, the IGE will hold a special session on Thursday and Friday 11 and 12 July, to discuss a draft proposal for the revision of the UN Guidelines for consumer protection.

As you may be aware, UNCTAD has sent to the relevant consumer protection agencies and international organizations, a questionnaire to take stock of existing consumer protection legislation, which will serve as a basis for preparing the draft proposal for the revision of the UN Guidelines. The draft report will be sent to delegates in April 2013. Member states may wish to include in their delegation experts from both competition and consumer protection agencies.

In order to facilitate the deliberations and the informal exchange of views and experiences on the topics to be discussed during the roundtables and the consultations on the revision of the UN Guidelines, delegates and observers are also requested to indicate to the UNCTAD secretariat whether they intend to make written contributions on these topics by 15 March 2013. Contributions should be sent no later than Friday 21 June 2013, in order to allow participants to prepare themselves before hand for the consultations.

This meeting will be preceded by the 4th meeting of the UNCTAD Research Partnership Platform on Sunday 7 July 2013.

Since there are limited number of places for the RPP meeting, delegates or observers who wish to take part in this event are kindly requested to inform Dr. Graham Mott by 6 May 2013, graham.mott@unctad.org or Tel: 00 41 22 917 45 73.