Portuguese and Mozambican competition authorities reinforce cooperation
The Competition Authority (AdC), led by Margarida Matos Rosa, and the newly created Competition Authority (ARC) of Mozambique signed a cooperation agreement that aims to “establish a framework for bilateral collaboration between the two institutions, with with a view to defending and promoting competition in the respective countries”.
According to AdC communicatorthis agreement “aims to respond to the mutual interest in establishing a cooperation relationship based on the sharing of technical skills and experience in the various fields of defense and the promotion of cooperation”.
“Both institutions share a commitment to strengthen cooperation, in which cooperation policy can significantly benefit citizens and companies.
AdC president Margarida Matos Rosa referred that “both institutions share a commitment to strengthen cooperation, at a time when competition policy can significantly benefit citizens and companies”.
“The current context of sustained economic recovery, digital and environmental transition requires an effective competitive environment”, added the head of the Competition Authority when signing the cooperation agreement between the entities of the two countries.
The president of the Competition Regulatory Authority of Mozambique, Iacumba Ali Aiuba, highlighted that “although this entity was created in 2013, by the Competition Law, the reinforcement of cooperation with the AdC, and at an international level, is particularly significant for ARC, especially in this phase of full implementation of competition policy in Mozambique and institutional consolidation, starting in 2020”.
In this way, continues the person in charge of the Mozambican entity, “the intention is to take advantage of the opportunity to define, immediately, concrete actions already identified for the materialization of the agreement in the area of technical assistance, training of ARC staff and other relevant institutions in its performance and the joint celebration of events”.
In the note released by the AdC it is also mentioned that “the exchange of non-confidential information on research and legislative development, studies on the competitive environment and promotion of training actions are provided for in the protocol”.
The communiqué indicates that “both institutions are part of the Lusophone Competition Network, created based on the recognition of the importance of competition for economic development”, and which aims to “promote technical cooperation between its members, with a view to creating and consolidation of the foundations of competition systems along the lines of good international practices”.
The Portuguese-speaking Competition Network was established by the Declaration of Rio de Janeiro in 2004, and its members are the entities responsible for competition issues in Portuguese-speaking countries: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal , Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste, concludes the AdC.