Trade and competition policies at the crossroads: conflicts and synergies on the long run

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to prove that the abandonment of the issues of competition in the multilateral framework is not an ultimate verdict that strictly separates the two public policies: trade and competition policy. Design/methodology/approach The paper critically examines the conflicts between the two policies (competition and trade), through an insight analysis and case interpretation, evaluates different opinions and makes some suggestions to support the logical conclusion that these two fields cannot be separated. Findings The final consideration is the synergy between the two is an imperative; or in other words, any specific policy dealing with only one of the fields will be successful in the long term only by taking into consideration the effects in the other field. Practical implications The World Trade Organization had to make a choice not between the half full or the half empty glass but between a full glass – difficult to manage because of the danger to spill over – and a half‐full glass – easy to manage because of the large margin. Originality/value The paper critically examines the conflicts between the two policies (competition and trade), through an insight analysis and case interpretation.