The Netherlands in top 10 competition authorities worldwide according to the GCR

In its annual rating of competition authorities worldwide, the Global Competition Review (GCR) has graded the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) as ‘very good’. The Netherlands has been awarded a four-star rating (out of a potential five), thus joining the group of top 10 competition authorities worldwide.

The European Commission, and authorities in the USA and the United Kingdom lead this year’s rankings, just like they did last year. The NMa shares its tenth place with, among others, the Australian ACCC and Japanese JFTC.




The GCR publishes an annual ratings survey of competition authorities from 39 countries. The number of stars awarded to each authority is determined by GCR editors, based on analyses of opinions of a carefully selected panel of antitrust lawyers, corporate lawyers, economists, and on data provided by the competition authorities themselves.




In this year’s report, the NMa earned credits for the fact that, in 2010, despite cutbacks, it was able to impose fines totaling more than 30 times the amount imposed in 2009: a total of EUR 137 million. In addition, the NMa’s track record with the courts played a big role in the GCR’s assessment: in 2010, the courts ruled in the NMa’s favor in 90% of the time (in 35 appeal cases).




Finally, the GCR praises the NMa for its leading role in forensic data collection in investigations, citing the fact that other countries turn to the NMa for advice in this field.