SA and Mauritius partner to enforce competition rules

Johannesburg – South Africa and Mauritius have partnered to strengthen competition law enforcement.

The Competition Commission (CC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CC of Mauritius on Thursday. It will be enforced for three years. The signing of the MoU took place on the sidelines of the African Competition Forum’s (ACF) Biannual Conference held on the Indian Ocean Island.

“The core goals of competition policy; ensuring consumer choice, innovation and lower prices in markets; help to alleviate poverty and enhance inclusive economic growth, development and consumer welfare,” stated Tembinkosi Bonakele, chair of the ACF.

“This in turn has a positive impact on investment, productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship,” he added. As a result one of the outcomes of healthy competition includes poverty alleviation.

The MoU allows for the countries to provide mutual assistance during investigations related to the violation of laws and regulations within the agreement. The countries will also share experiences in the enforcement of competition law, and exchange views on competition policy issues.

They will jointly work to develop research in the field of competition law enforcement and policy and offer technical assistance and exchange expert studies. The MoU promotes the exchange of non-confidential information and staff exchanges.

Competition Commission officials from Mauritius and South Africa signed an MoU on Thursday, on the sidelines of the African Competition Forum's biannual conference. (Picture supplied)

“Regional integration is taking place in Africa and competition is integral to this,” stated Bonakele. Negotiations for both the Tripartite Free Trade Area between the Southern African Development Community (SADC), The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and the East African Community and the Continental Free Trade Area have begun.

“We expect outcomes that would enhance competition enforcement in domestic markets and regionally,” he said.

The ACF is running a cross-country sector research project to be concluded in April 2017. This will enable comparisons between countries to develop an understanding of cross-border markets.