Forum: Competition and Public Procurement Law Challenges in the Health Care Sector

2 weeks ago the Competition and Marketisation Law Research Group of UiB organized a Seminar on Competition Law and Health Care. This event dealt with the legal challenges posed by the application of competition law, public procurement, State aid and the social/political considerations that are intertwined when the State or private entities provide healthcare services.

The Congress had the participation of outstanding speakers, namely: 

• Prof. Wolf Sauter (Tilburg University) on the national enforcement of EU competition law in the HC sector;
• Dr. Okeoghene Odudu (University of Cambridge) on the concept of undertaking in the HC sector;
• Associate Prof. Ronny Gjendemsjø, (one of our guys from UiB) on the effect of inter-Member State trade criterion;
• Research fellow Malgorzata A. Cyndecka (one of our girls from UiB and the mastermind behind the Forum) on the applicability of State aid rules to the financing of the HC sector;
• Conor Quigley (University of Oxford) on how State aid rules may constrain public funding of hospitals;
• Ms. María Jesús Segura Catalán (Deputy Director of Competition & State Aid of EFTA Surveillance Authority) on Altmark I vs. Altmark II;
• Associate Prof. Sune Troels Poulsen (University of Copenhagen) on Altmark I vs. Altmark II;
• Prof. Emeritus Kai Krüger (the most experienced of our guys, UiB) on remarks on social and health services in the EEA and domestic procurement dimension;
• Ms. Anneline Vingsgård (Administration Director of KOFA) on Complaints Board experience under 2006 regime;
• Mr. Morten Goller (Attorney at Law, Wilkborg & Rein) on challenges in the drafting of contract documentation for acquisition of health and social services;
• Mr. Haakon Seeberg (Department Manager, The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise) on supplier’s perspectives – tendering for health and social services in the Norwegian setting;
• Ms. Nina Ramstad Aatlo (Attorney at Law, The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities).

During two days we had excellent speeches and interesting debates on what role does the Competition and Public Procurement regimes play in the provision of healthcare services. The high level of discussion was accompanied with excellent food and a lovely evening in the top of Fløien (one of the mountains surrounding Bergen) sharing ideas, a glass of wine and good time among colleagues.

I would like to remark the labor of Malgorzata as the leader and responsible of the success of the event. Well done! Last but not least, I want to also send my thanks to Håvard, Ingrid and Tatyana who were behind the stage making sure all went perfect. It was awesome to work with all you guys!