News

Dr. Haraksingh discusses Community Competition Law at North American Forum in Vancouver

The International Law Section of the American Bar Association [ABA] threw the spotlight earlier this week at its North American Forum in Vancouver on doing business with the region and collaborating abroad. A special panel at the Forum was entitled Welcome to the Club: Caricom’s Competition Authority Joins Its Neighbors from Canada, Mexico and the US in Antitrust Enforcement. Dr. Kusha Haraksingh, Chairman of the Caricom Competition Commission [CCC] was invited by the ABA to be the lead speaker at this event and he was joined by Cariforum partner Michelle Cohen, Chair of Procompetencia, the Dominican Republic’s Competition authority. The meeting examined the challenges of cross-border Competition and Cartel reviews and explored how antitrust agencies could cooperate, especially in the context of emerging disciplines on data protection and security in the digital age.

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CCC Delivers Training Programme to the Guyana Competition And Consumer Affairs Commission

CCC DELIVERS TRAINING PROGRAMME TO THE GUYANA COMPETITION AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 3RD AND 5TH-7TH NOVEMBER 2014

The CCC delivered training to the technical staff of the Guyana Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) in response to a request for technical assistance from the CCAC.

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CCC Provides Training In Competition Law In Trinidad And Tobago

CCC PROVIDES TRAINING IN COMPETITION LAW IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

On 25-26th September, 2014, the CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC) provided training to the recently appointed Commissioners of the Trinidad and Tobago Fair Trading Commission (TTFC) on competition law and policy. The two-day training session was conducted at the office of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communication which is located in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The areas covered in the training included the core principles of competition law and policy and the economics of competition law.

Chairman of the CCC, Dr. Kusha Haraksingh, who was available to congratulate the Commissioners on their appointments, also discussed the international dimension of competition law and stressed the importance of cooperation with other national competition authorities on competition enforcement matters. Dr. Haraksingh also pledged the continued support of the CCC towards the full operationalisation of the TTFC.

Chairman of the TTFC, Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy, hailed the training as an important step in Trinidad and Tobago fully implementing its national competition framework.

CCC's Quarterly Report April-June 2014

This report highlights the work of the CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC) for the second quarter of 2014, in the areas of Competition Law and Policy and Consumer Welfare and Protection in the CARICOM region. The work of the CCC is guided by the institution’s mandate under Chapter VIII of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC). Consequently, the document is structured to highlight, in some cases, the relevant provisions within the RTC that each activity falls under. For the full report please click here.

Trinidad and Tobago Appoints Commissioners to the Fair Trading Commission

The CARICOM Competition Commission is pleased to announce that on 9th July, 2014, The Honourable Vasant Bharath, Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago presented the appointment letters for the three Commissioners of the Fair Trading Commission. The appointment of the Commissioners marks a giant stride for Trinidad and Tobago in fulfilling its mandate under Chapter VIII of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. 

Click here to view the official press release from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago.

UNCTAD Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Competition Policy

Ad Hoc Expert Meeting: The role of competition law and policy in fostering sustainable development and trade through the enhancement of domestic and international competitiveness of developing countries

7 July 2014, Geneva, Switzerland

Concept note

Competition refers to rivalry among firms in the marketplace. It also extends to envisaged or potential rivalry. Competition policy refers to government policy aimed at preserving or promoting competition among market players and at promoting other government policies and processes that enable a competitive environment to develop. In 1980, the United Nations Conference on Restrictive Business Practices approved the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices (the so called "UN Set on Competition Policy"), a multilateral agreement providing a set of equitable rules for the control of anti-competitive practices, which recognizes the development dimension of competition law and policy and provides a framework for international cooperation and exchange of best practices. As acknowledged by the Accra Accord (paragraph 104), UNCTAD is the focal point for work on competition policy and related consumer protection policy within the United Nations system. In this capacity, UNCTAD seeks to promote the use of competition law and policy as tools for achieving competitiveness, growth and development, by providing a forum to member States for intergovernmental policy dialogue and consensus-building in the area of competition (and consumer protection laws and policies), with close linkages to existing networks of competition authorities. In this context, UNCTAD is organizing this Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Monday July 7 2014, preceding the 14th Session of the IGE on Competition Law and Policy.

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CARICOM to be represented at UNCTAD Meetings in July, 2014

The CCC has been invited to attend the Fourteenth session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy (IGE) that will be held 8-10, July 2014. The IGE session will be preceded on 7 July, 2014 by the Ad hoc Expert Group Meeting on "The Role of Competition Law and Policy in Fostering Sustainable Development". The IGE session will also be followed by the 5th Research Partnership Platform (RPP) on competition and consumer protection policies on 11 July, 2014.

The consultations during the Fourteenth IGE session will focus on the following topics:

(a) The benefits of competition policy for consumers;

(b) Communications strategies of competition authorities as a tool for agency effectiveness;

(c) Informal cooperation among competition authorities on specific cases;

(d) Voluntary peer reviews on the competition laws and policies of Namibia, Seychelles and Philippines;

(e) Review of capacity building activities extended to young competition authorities.

All relevant information on the substantive discussions, reports as well as logistical aspects of the conference can be found here.

CCC Quarterly Report Jan-March 2014

This report highlights the work of the CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC) for the first quarter of 2014, in the areas of Competition Law and Policy and Consumer Welfare and Protection in the CARICOM region. The work of the CCC is guided by the institution’s mandate under Chapter VIII of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC). Consequently, the document is structured to highlight, in some cases, the relevant provisions within the RTC that each activity falls under. For the full report please click here.

CCC's Chairman attended the 2nd Caribbean Competitiveness Forum held in Jamaica from 18-19 March, 2014

The Chairman of the CCC, Dr. Haraksingh attended the 2nd Caribbean Competitiveness Forum organised by Compete Caribbean which was held in Jamaica from 18-19 March, 2014. The theme was "A New Innings: Competitiveness Through Global Value Chains, Clustering and Innovation".  Chairman Dr. Haraksingh presented on the relationship between Competition, Competitiveness and Business Clusters. The presentation explores the intersection between competition and competitiveness, and explains why the pursuit of the latter without regard to the disciplines of the former can be counterproductive and ultimately self–defeating.

Click here to view the full presentation.

Statement on World Consumer Rights Day

World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) was established in 1983 to promote the basic rights of consumers everywhere. Annually, on 15 March, WCRD provides an opportunity for consumer organisations to draw attention to the important role that consumer protection policies and laws play in making societies safer and fairer. For the full statement please click here.