The Competition Superintendence (CS) and the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) subscribed, today Wednesday, a Cooperation Agreement to strengthen the interinstitutional work of respect to consumer welfare and market competition.

1. Press Release C.33-09
El Salvador, July 15th, 2009
CS and CPA Unite Efforts in favor of Consumers
The Competition Superintendence (CS) and the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) subscribed, today
Wednesday, a Cooperation Agreement to strengthen the interinstitutional work of respect to consumer
welfare and market competition.
“The strengthening of the Said Agreement shall establish a permanent cooperation and collaboration
relationships between the CS mechanism for the coordinated enforcement of Consumer Protection and
and the CPA is necessary for Competition Policies, as well as training human resources on both policies.
them to work coordinately in
favor of the Salvadoran The following are amongst the purposes of the Agreement:
consumer welfare and the • Strengthen the capacity of both institutions in the recollection, processing,
market´s efficiency. It is the
analysis, and systematization of data from the different market sectors;
State´s duty to protect the
consumers and fight against • Exchange perspectives, institutional policies, information, knowledge, and
the market´s imperfections experiences in order to achieve a better technical comprehension of the
for it to become more operational aspects of various markets, and prevent and identify possible
competitive”, asserted Jose anticompetitive practices that might jeopardize consumer welfare;
Enrique Argumedo, • Carry out coordinated actions to strengthen and develop competition in the
Competition Superintendent. various markets, in order to increase economic efficiency and consumer welfare;
• Coordinate efforts to periodically monitor markets, in order to continuously
“I fully trust that the evaluate how the legal framework in force functions, as well as its behavior, to
coordinated work between implement the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures to avoid possible
both State institutions shall anticompetitive practices and practices that affect consumer welfare.
allow a vigorous and
innovative capacity in the Within the objectives of the 2009-2014 Government Program, the President of
legal defense of complaints the Republic, Mauricio Funes, has committed efforts to strengthen the
and in consumer education”,
institutional and legal frameworks of the entities that watch over consumer
said Armando Flores,
welfare and the efficient market´s functioning, in order for said institutions to
President of the Consumer
Protection Authority.
become efficient and effective instruments for the country´s economic
development.
The first step is being taken with the subscription of the aforementioned
Agreement in order for both institutions to work together in favor of consumer
welfare and competition.
septiembre 2006
Background
The SC has subscribed cooperation agreements with the following governmental institutions: the Electricity and
Telecommunications General Superintendence, (in Spanish, Superintendencia General de Electricidad y
Telecomunicaciones “SIGET”); the Maritime Port Authority, (in Spanish, Autoridad Marítima Portuaria “AMP”); the Financial
System Superintendence, (in Spanish, Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero “SSF”); the Science and Technology
National Council (in Spanish, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología “CONACYT”); the Civil Aviation Authority, (in
Spanish, Autoridad de Aviación Civil “AAC”); Securities Superintendence, (in Spanish, Superintendencia de Valores “SV”);
the Pensions Funds Superintendence, (in Spanish, Superintendencia de Pensiones “SP”); the Central Reserve Bank of El
Salvador, (in Spanish, Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador “BCR”); the Ministry of Economy, (in Spanish, Ministerio
de Economía “MINEC”); the National Registries Center, (in Spanish, Centro Nacional de Registros “CNR”); Customs, (in
Spanish, Dirección General de Aduanas “DGA”); and, currently with the Consumer Protection Authority, (in Spanish,
Defensoría del Consumidor “DC”).

2. The CPA has separately signed agreements with the Electricity and Telecommunications General Superintendence, the
Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Tourism, (in Spanish, Ministerio de Turismo “MITUR”); the Superior Public Health
Council, (in Spanish, Consejo Superior de Salud Pública “CSPC”); and eleven universities and technical institutes.