CADE discusses digital platform regulation at international forum in Dubai

On 28 and 29 October, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) attended the 7th Arab Competition Forum (ACF), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event was organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA), the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and in partnership with the COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC).

Interim President Diogo Thomson participated in two panel discussions at the forum, which brought authorities and experts to discuss the challenges of competition enforcement in the digital economy. During the panel on Ex-Ante Regulation and Competition in Digital Markets, Thomson drew on CADE’s experience to highlight the challenges posed by digital markets, particularly the rapid pace of change, the operation of platforms in interconnected ecosystems, and the recurrence of potential antitrust practices. In this context, he presented Brazil’s proposal to establish an ex ante regulatory framework for systemically relevant digital platforms, as set out in Bill 4675/2025.

During the session on Institutional Coordination Between Competition and Consumer Protection in the Digital Era, Thompson emphasised the importance of cooperation between competition and consumer protection authorities, given the challenges posed by digital markets. As an example, he cited the update to WhatsApp's privacy policy, which prompted joint and coordinated action by CADE, the Brazilian Secretariat for Consumer Protection (SENACON) of the Ministry of Justice, the Brazilian Data Protection Authority (ANPD), and the Federal Prosecution Service (MPF). The coordinated efforts aimed to ensure the adoption of measures concerning users’ rights and mitigate potential adverse effects on competition.

The forum’s programme also included discussions on regional cooperation in developing digital competition policies and merger control in the technology sector. The event also featured a session dedicated to Arab university students, including presentations of competition case studies and an awards ceremony.