CADE releases working paper on competition defence

On 11 December, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) published a working paper that presents the main international institutions for competition defence, focusing on their global and regional activities, the result of collaboration between the International Unit (ASINT) and the Department of Economic Studies (DEE). 

The publication aims to give visibility to the work of CADE's technical team and the interaction with other agencies, promoting a clear and wider vision of the international co-operation in competition defence.

CADE structured the document in four sections, each one approaching different aspects of international competition defence practices.  The methodology used in the study is based on literature review, prioritizing sources such as publications and official websites of the institutions.

The first section in the document addresses practices that may require an international response, discussing mergers, cartels, unilateral conducts, government, and mixed restrictions. These topics are crucial to understand the challenges faced by competition authorities, and possible initiatives that may be adopted in a global scenario. 

The second section tackles the main international institutions that work in competition defence, including organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Competition Network (ICN)). These entities have a central role in the creation of guidelines for better international practices.

In third section,[WP1]  regional institutions that influence competition defence in their respective areas are discussed. These includesthe Southern Common Market (Mercosur), the Andean Community, the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), the East African Community (EAC) and the African Competition Forum (ACF). In addition, there are analyses of the competition policy of the European Union (EU), the BRICS group and other initiatives such as the Group of Competition Agencies of the Americas (GrACA) and the Inter-American Alliance for the Competition Defence. [WP2] [IB3] [IB4] 

Finally, the fourth section discusses international cooperation at CADE, stressing the importance of a coordinated and multilateral response to ensure globally competitive markets. The cooperation between international authorities is essential to strengthen competition and to promote a fair and more balanced competitive environment.

Working Paper - DEE/CADE

The Department of Economic Studies also publishes working papers to disclose economic studies related to CADE's fields of activity to improve the review of mergers and acquisitions, to help the investigations of anticompetitive practices, and to promote competition advocacy in public and private sectors.In addition to giving visibility to CADE's technical team, the purpose is  to improve the agency’s analyses. The working papers aim to share ideas and receive feedback from the scientific community prior to eventual publications.

Disclaimer

The opinions provided in the document are exclusive and of entire responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily express the views of CADE or the Ministry of Justice.