1. Edificio Madreselva, 1er Nivel, Calzada El Almendro y 1ª Ave. El Espino, Urb. Madreselva, Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador.
E-mail: contacto@sc.gob.sv - www.sc.gob.sv
“The products the
Group generates will
help the enforcement
of a competition policy
and the development
of a competition
culture in the region”,
said Regina Vargas,
Competition Advocacy
Intendant of the
Competition
Superintendence.
Press Release C. 29-10
El Salvador, October 21
st
, 2010.
Competition Advocacy
Central America Discusses Harms of Horizontal Agreements
Bid rigging is the main topic in the IV Central American Competition Forum.
The Central American Competition Policy Work Group formed by the competition
authorities of the five Central American countries met in the IV Central American
Competition Forum, to be held the on October 21
st
and 22
nd
in San Jose, Costa
Rica.
The purpose of said Forum, which is held every year since 2007, is to contribute
to increase competition culture in the Central American region by discussing
current and important events for the region regarding competition and exchange
experiences and knowledge by means of the cooperation with countries of the
aforementioned region and with other countries with more experience on the
subject.
Horizontal agreements in public tenders are the main topic of the Forum entitled:
“Bid Rigging and Conscious Parallelism vs. Implicit Collusions”, to be discussed
under the perspectives of law enforcement and competition advocacy.
Another topic to be discussed is “Competition Culture: Competition Laws and Authorities and their Relationship
with Economic Development”. A draft of the report of the regional study on the competition conditions in the
wholesale and retail pharmaceuticals distribution chain in Central America and Panama will also be addressed.
About the Central American Competition Policy Work Group
The Central American Competition Policy Work Group was created during the 47
th
Meeting of Economic
Integration Vice-Ministers, celebrated on May 4
th
, 2006, in order to insure transparency and free access to the
economic agents that participate in the different activities of inter and intraregional trade exchange, thus,
multiplying the benefits of free trade in the Central American countries, through the design of a regional
competition policy and the promotion of its culture.
The Central American Group has recognized the importance of strengthening competition policy, as a
fundamental component regarding common policies in the Central American integration process which
contributes with the region´s economic and social development, through the design of a regional policy.
Said Group also aims to prevent, detect, and prosecute anticompetitive practices which might by present in
regional trade; promote international cooperation at a regional level, which allows to strengthen institutional
capacities; and, promote competition culture in the region, amongst others.