Authorities attend lecture of the Head of the OECD Competition Division at CADE

On January 18, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense – CADE received several public authorities, who attended the lecture of the head of the Competition Division of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), António Ferreira Gomes. Mr. Gomes’ Lecture is part of the agenda of the 37th PinCADE, CADE’s internship program. 

The meeting was attended by the Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Citizenry, José Levi Mello do Amaral Júnior; the Deputy Chief of Analysis and Monitoring of Public Policies of the Civil Cabinet, Marcelo Guaranys; the Secretary of Economic Monitoring of the Ministry of Finances, Mansueto Almeida; and the Secretary of the Program of Partnership and Investment of the Civil Cabinet, Marcelo Allain.

CADE’s acting president, Gilvandro Araújo, highlighted PinCade’s success as means of interaction between the antitrust authority and the civil society and as an opportunity for discovering new talents who may work in the competition defense community. Mr. Araújo thanked the presence of all the authorities that came to the event in order share their experience.

António Gomes began his lecture by praising the innovative character of the internship program and highlighting his interest in spreading the idea overseas. Mr. Gomes pointed out how the Brazilian Competition Defense System reforms in 2012 reinforced CADE’s importance in the country and extended the antitrust authority’s presence worldwide. Mr. Gomes also highlighted the relevance of the collaboration and exchange of experience between the antitrust authority of Portugal – of which he had been president – and CADE during the preparation for the new legislation.

The director has also made remarks about the importance of the effective application of the competition defense policy, defending that in moments of crisis, it is fundamental to count on strong institutions that are capable of applying the law. Furthermore, the head of the OECD Competition Division pointed out importance of competition authorities’ independent and transparent action, based on technical expertise, reasoned decisions, legal security and predictability. According to Mr. Gomes, this brings confidence to the economic players and brings benefits to the economy and to consumers.

“I believe that CADE is nowadays, without any doubt, an entity of unquestionable relevance in the Brazilian institutional framework, having managed to achieve the confidence and the respect of the international community for the quality with which it has been conducting its mission”, stated Mr. Gomes.

At the end of his speech, the head of the OECD Competition Division mentioned that the institution is available to cooperate with CADE in improving the technical qualification of its staff with the purpose of strengthening the anti-cartel program of the authority. The International Organization has also expressed its intention to cooperate by assessing the decisions applied by the Brazilian antitrust authority.

The Wednesday event also held seminars conducted by CADE’s former Presidents Vinicius Carvalho and Gesner de Oliveira, counting with the presence of the Deputy Chief of International Competition and Defense of the Popular Economy of the Ministry of Finance, Alexandre Manoel Ângelo da Silva; the Deputy-Attorney General of the Republic, José Elaeres Marques Teixeira; the President of the Institute of Applied Economic Research, Ernesto Lozardo; the president of IBRAC, Eduardo Caminati; the Director of the Competition of IBRAC, Márcio Bueno; and the President of the Commission for Protection of Competition of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB-DF), Mr. Túlio Freitas do Egito Coelho.