As governments increasingly align enforcement with geopolitical and industrial policy goals, this panel explores whether antitrust is moving beyond consumer welfare or whether the fundamentals remain unchanged.

• Are interests beyond consumer welfare shaping enforcement?
• Which jurisdictions are most willing to depart from the consumer welfare standard?
• Which sectors are seeing the greatest policy-driven intervention?
• Is this a temporary shift, or should antitrust play a role in addressing domestic economic priorities?

• How are pro-growth policies reshaping the role of remedies in merger control?
• Are authorities placing greater weight on objectives such as resilience, investment and competitiveness?
• How do approaches differ across major jurisdictions, from structural to behavioural remedies?
• What strategies can parties adopt to design remedies early and secure deal clearance?

• Can existing guidance effectively address AI-driven pricing, information sharing and algorithmic coordination?
• How can enforcers distinguish harmful collusion from pro-competitive collaboration?
• Where should the boundaries be drawn for cooperation in AI development and deployment?
• What lessons can be drawn from recent enforcement actions and regulatory guidance?

• Does the model and its underlying rationale stand up to substantive scrutiny?
• What are the first enforcement cases telling us?
• Are the subjects of the regimes finding ways to frustrate their efficacy by challenging jurisdictional scope and other areas where legislative ambiguity presents itself?
• What impact does additional compliance complexity have on the competitive process and innovation?

• When do partnerships, minority investments and acqui-hires become de facto concentrations?
• Does the EU's proposed “innovation shield” risk creating space for killer acquisitions?
• Can exclusive access to AI models, infrastructure or data create market power?
• How does the EU's approach compare with the more business-oriented US enforcement model?

• Is global cartel enforcement converging or becoming increasingly fragmented?
• Will the DOJ’s whistleblower programme weaken the effectiveness of leniency regimes?
• Are export cartel exemptions a legitimate industrial policy tool or a step backwards for competition enforcement?
• How are non-US authorities adapting to a world with less US leadership in cartel enforcement?

• How should parties navigate the growing overlap between merger, FDI, FSR and CFIUS reviews?
• Are tariffs and geopolitical tensions reshaping deal strategy and competitive assessment?
• When does political risk become more important than legal risk?
• What lessons can be drawn from recent challenges to negotiated merger settlements?

• Will the new framework give greater weight to efficiencies, innovation and investment benefits?
• How will the innovation shield and 25% safe harbour operate in practice?
• What do the draft guidelines mean for foreclosure theories, deal strategy and filing approaches?
• Could the reforms drive greater divergence between EU and US merger enforcement?

• Are recent cases reshaping how courts approach market definition and monopolization?
• What do the Google, Apple and Meta cases tell us about exclusionary conduct in digital markets?
• When are behavioural remedies sufficient, and when are structural remedies needed?
• How does US monopolization enforcement compare with abuse of dominance regimes elsewhere?