Book excerpt: Cartel issues arise in a variety of settings and industries and increasingly without regard to jurisdictional boundaries. Many jurisdictions have granted their competition authorities broad jurisdictional reach and provided them with aggressive investigative tools, such as wiretap authority and compulsory process. There is also a burgeoning movement to criminalize cartel activity in places where it has previously been regarded as wholly or principally a civil or administrative matter. And the global proliferation of leniency programs continues to radically destabilize cartels, creating powerful incentives for institutions to turn against their co-conspirators.This first edition of the International Antitrust Cartel Handbook is a vital reference for both new and experienced antitrust practitioners navigating the increasingly complex global cartel enforcement environment. It brings together leading cartel practitioners from around the world to address the critical issues that arise throughout the lifecycle of a cartel investigation and prosecution. The Handbook provides both breadth of coverage and analytical depth suitable for a wide range of practitioners, including everyone from those who may find themselves on the front line of a government inquiry or internal investigation; to those awaiting their day in court to contest a criminal indictment; to those simply preparing to counsel a client on the basic "dos and don'ts" of engaging with competitors.