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CCP acting as facilitator to create competitive business environment [National Iraqi News Agency (Iraq)](National Iraqi News Agency (Iraq) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is playing the role of a facilitator to create a competitive business environment that is conducive for investment in the country. Dr Joseph Wilson Chairman CCP addressing an advocacy session at Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) over viewing CCP's performance said it had made a number of interventions whereby companies voluntarily complied with provisions of the competition law. He said in the last one year CCP had scrutinised and processed complaints regarding cartelisation and other anti-competitive practices in various sectors of the economy. He said despite various administrative issues, the Commission was focused on effectively discharging its statutory obligations. Competition Act 2010 provides for a mandatory merger control regime and in 2013-14 CCP had granted No-Objection-Certificates (NOCs) in 38 cases of acquisitions, 4 cases of mergers and 4 joint ventures. There is a need to engage government departments and advocate for policies that were competitive-neutral. A crucial element in this advocacy strategy is the issuance of non-binding advice to government departments in the form of Policy Notes. In 2013-14 Commission issued five Policy Notes to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) recommending the abolition of an anti-competitive capacity tax on the beverage industry, to Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) regarding the non-issuance of flare gas licenses, to Higher Education Commission regarding its equivalence standards, on the discriminatory levy of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) on selective fertilizer plants and discriminatory access to Inland Freight Equalisation Margin pool. Noting that since some regulations and processes were still based on the Competition Ordinance of 2007 despite the enactment of the Competition Act, 2010, CCP revised the regulations, i.e (i) Competition (Leniency) Regulations, 2013, Competition (Exemption) Regulations, 2014 and Competition (Reward Payment to Informants) Regulations, 2014. The Commission is in the process of revising some regulations including the Merger Regulations. Dr Wilson said CCP received international recognition for its efforts on various forums including the World Bank and Global Competition Review. OICCI General Secretary Abdul Aleem welcomed the CCP delegation and gave a presentation on the OICCI perception survey about the government institutions. All rights are reserved for National Iraqi News Agency / NINA (c) 2014 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |