PCC, China’s antitrust body to strengthen competition law enforcement

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) to strengthen both countries’ bilateral cooperation on competition law enforcement.

The accord was signed in Manila on Tuesday, the PCC said in a statement on Wednesday.

PCC Chairman Arsenio Balisacan and SAMR Minister Xiao Yaqing led the signing ceremony.

Both antitrust authorities agreed to lay down a general framework for cooperation in competition enforcement, including exchange of information, coordination of enforcement activities, notification of cases of mutual interest, as well as technical cooperation and capacity building. 

“Our MoU marks the start of a productive partnership between the PCC and SAMR, recognizing that international cooperation is essential to safeguard competition in today’s increasingly borderless and dynamic markets,” Balisacan said.

The move is part of PCC’s strategy to work closely with international counterparts, including an active engagement with the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition, the International Competition Network (ICN), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Competition Division.

Earlier this year, the PCC said it coordinated with the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) on the Grab and Uber merger case, carried out exchange programs with the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and hosted a study visit for the Myanmar Competition Commission (MmCC).

“The PCC considers foreign competition authorities as partners and allies toward our shared commitment to promote and protect competitive markets and combat cross-border cartels,” Balisacan said.

The MOU will also provide a mechanism for PCC and SAMR to conduct joint dialogues on economic issues and developments in their respective competition policies, as well as in other matters of mutual interest.

SAMR is China’s consolidated state agency exercising market supervision responsibilities spanning competition, intellectual property, business registration, and product safety and standards. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News