The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has entered a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) strengthening the Agencies’ joint efforts to combat cartels and other anti-competitive behaviour.
Signed in Washington by the Executive General Manager of the ACCC, Marcus Bezzi (pictured left) the MoC follows a visit to FBI Headquarters by the Chair of ACCC, Rod Sims and Mr Bezzi in March.
The MoC provides for the exchange of expertise and staff between the two Agencies to enhance work in the detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal competition offences.
Mr Sims said the MoC recognised and built on the growing relationship between the ACCC and the FBI.
“Our relationship with the FBI has deepened considerably in the past few years, including a visit by FBI representatives to Australia to discuss investigative techniques and information exchanges,” Mr Sims said.
“There are significant benefits for ACCC staff and the Agency more broadly in learning about the techniques and approaches of the FBI in cartel and other competition law investigations.”
He said the future co-operation between the FBI and the ACCC to detect and deal with criminal cartel conduct would be very important.
FBI’s Section Chief of its Criminal Investigative Division, John Jimenez ( pictured right) said combatting antitrust was critical to both the US and Australian economies, and vigorous investigative cooperation was critical in detecting and eliminating antitrust conspiracies.
“The FBI is proud of its relationship with the ACCC, and this MoC codifies that relationship and provides opportunity for increased information and resource sharing as we work toward a common goal in preventing anti-competitive behaviour,” Mr Jimenez said.
