What we do

CADE’s duties are defined by the Law N° 12.529 of 30 November 2011 and supplemented by CADE’s Internal Statute – RICADE in its acronym in Portuguese - approved by the Resolution N° 1 of 29 May 2012 and subsequent amendments. The agency carries out three functions:

Preventive function: CADE analyses and decides on all mergers between large companies that might undermine free competition.

Repressive function: CADE investigates and judges, all over the Brazilian territory, cartels and other anti-competitive conducts.

Educational function: CADE instructs the public about the different conducts that might affect negatively the free competition; CADE encourages academic studies and researches on competition, by setting partnerships with universities, research institutes, associations and other bodies of the Brazilian government; CADE also carries out and supports courses, lectures, seminars and events related to competition; finally, CADE edits publications such as the Journal of Competition Defense and booklets.