Competition watchdog urges lenient treatment
CCP chairperson says progress has been made on issue of fees and charges.
KARACHI:
In the first meeting of the Competition Consultative Group (CCG) since July, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairperson Rahat Kaunain Hassan stressed the need of a compliance-oriented approach and lenient treatment.
She said the commission’s approach towards undertakings willing to correct their business behaviour had started producing positive results.
She referred to the recent CCP order in a cartelisation case, in which the Pakistan Jute Mills Association and 10 jute mills admitted their inadvertent violation and requested CCP for lenient treatment.
Hassan said that the disciplinary actions of CCP were not aimed at harassing businesses, but to discipline them and deter them from engaging in anti-competitive practices.
The commission, by promoting competition, was striving to create a level-playing field for all businesses.
She gave an overview of enforcement actions and initiatives of the commission since July 2010, and asserted that CCP had maintained the pace of enforcement and taken a number of key actions to promote competition through enforcement and advocacy.
Hassan said that with the enactment of the competition law and appointment of commission members, the CCP’s legal status had become certain.
She added that the Ministry of Finance had made some progress on the issue of three per cent of fees and charges of regulatory bodies to CCP, and hoped for a quick resolution.
The participants of the meeting suggested the formation of a regulators forum to provide a platform for sharing of information and discussion on issues of mutual concern amongst apex regulatory agencies of the country.
The proposal was appreciated by all and it was decided to take all the other regulatory bodies on board.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2011.
In the first meeting of the Competition Consultative Group (CCG) since July, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairperson Rahat Kaunain Hassan stressed the need of a compliance-oriented approach and lenient treatment.
She said the commission’s approach towards undertakings willing to correct their business behaviour had started producing positive results.
She referred to the recent CCP order in a cartelisation case, in which the Pakistan Jute Mills Association and 10 jute mills admitted their inadvertent violation and requested CCP for lenient treatment.
Hassan said that the disciplinary actions of CCP were not aimed at harassing businesses, but to discipline them and deter them from engaging in anti-competitive practices.
The commission, by promoting competition, was striving to create a level-playing field for all businesses.
She gave an overview of enforcement actions and initiatives of the commission since July 2010, and asserted that CCP had maintained the pace of enforcement and taken a number of key actions to promote competition through enforcement and advocacy.
Hassan said that with the enactment of the competition law and appointment of commission members, the CCP’s legal status had become certain.
She added that the Ministry of Finance had made some progress on the issue of three per cent of fees and charges of regulatory bodies to CCP, and hoped for a quick resolution.
The participants of the meeting suggested the formation of a regulators forum to provide a platform for sharing of information and discussion on issues of mutual concern amongst apex regulatory agencies of the country.
The proposal was appreciated by all and it was decided to take all the other regulatory bodies on board.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2011.