PH, Thailand strengthen cooperation on competition law enforcement
The flags of the Philippines and Thailand | INQUIRER FILES
The government’s competition watchdog on Monday said it had signed an agreement with its counterpart in Thailand last to strengthen their cross-border collaboration when it comes to competition law enforcement.
The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) last February 4 at their office in Quezon City.
“In a world where economies are becoming increasingly integrated, it has never been more important to harmonize the ways in which we enforce these laws to ensure more effective and efficient implementation while respecting each other’s autonomy and independence,” PCC Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo said in a statement.
READ: Marcos commends Thai envoy for strengthening PH-Thailand relations
According to the PCCI, the MOU establishes a framework for cooperation between the PCC and TCCT, including information sharing, notification of enforcement activities, and coordination of investigations of mutual interest.
The agreement also includes technical collaboration through initiatives such as personnel exchanges and joint training.
For their part, TCCT Chairperson Maitree Sutapakul expressed optimism about the partnership, citing that they also had been cultivating international relations for years through Asean forums and programs.
“I sincerely hope that this MoU serves as evidence [of] the enhanced commitment to competition enforcement and advocacy shared by both nations,” Sutapakul said.
The PCC said this is their fifth international bilateral agreement, following similar MOUs with China in 2019, Hong Kong in 2020, Singapore in 2021, and Australia in 2024.
Aside from strengthening its relationship with the competition regulators in other countries, the PCC is also working towards raising the competency of local professionals.
In November last year, it launched its first-ever mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) program on competition laws at the University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City (UP-BGC) campus.
The PCC’s inaugural program covers a wide range of subjects, including an overview of the economics of the competition laws and the Philippine Competition Act.
The topics also include the use and assessment of the evidence in competition law enforcement, strategies and techniques in managing compliance in commercial agreements, and negotiating settlements in competition enforcement, among others.
