CADE releases new advanced searching tools

On 27 September 2023, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) released three new advanced searching tools: advanced search into cease and desist agreements, advanced search into public consultations, and advanced search into administrative procedures for merger reviews. These tools are part of the Digital CADE programme and were introduced during the 220th hearing.

The searches show information from public proceedings that are still under analysis or have already been analysed by CADE from 2012 to 2023, except for sensitive documents. The information is obtained from the Electronic Information System (SEI) metadata.

The new tools include additional searching criteria separated into tabs, such as "case characteristics", "procedural issues”, and "CADE's review". Searches can generate ZIP and PDF files of all the documents found.

These tools are an addition to the advanced search into M&A and the advanced search into antitrust practices. They can be accessed on the homepage of the Case Law Search Tool (in Portuguese only) of CADE.

"This is yet another tool aimed at facilitating CADE’s services to society, to optimise the resources available to citizens for procedural research," said Alexandre Cordeiro, president of CADE.

Digital CADE

CADE has often invested in human resources and funds to promote innovation and digital transformation in the public service. In the past years, around 25% of the authority's annual budget has been invested in projects aimed at expanding the agency's performance in offering digital solutions for the services it provides to society.

Since 2018, the Brazilian antitrust authority has implemented Digital CADE, aiming to facilitate public access to information using technology. One of the products of this project is the system for issuing the Brazilian Federal Revenue Collection Slips (GRU), developed to collect fees for public services, provided by CADE. The agency has also launched the CADE Mobile app, available for Android and iOS devices, making it easier for users to access services provided by the agency, as well as the advanced searching tools.