Due to weak competition in the local market, the prices of goods and services in the basic basket are significantly higher in Costa Rica than in nearby countries.
A report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), called the "Economic Study on Costa Rica", concludes that consumers in the country pay higher prices for milk, rice, vehicles and Internet services.
The sanction was imposed following a complaint made "by TVC Network, S.A. de C.V., against Digicel, S.A. de C.V., for a possible abusive dominant position."
The complainant stated that this economic agent was creating barriers to the entry of competitors or the expansion of existing ones in the market for the termination of national and international calls, informed the authorities of the country.
In Costa Rica, a bill is in progress that contemplates eliminating fines for the first member of a cartel that recognizes and denounces to the authorities that has engaged in monopolistic practices.
As part of the bills for Costa Rica's entry into the OECD, deputies voted in second debate file No.
The lack of a competition law in Guatemala could expose the country to sanctions from the European authorities, since it is a requirement demanded in the regulations of the Association Agreement with the European Union.
Since the end of 2016, the Association Agreement (AdA) required Guatemala to have a law on the matter, since in 2019 a Central American competition authority would have to be created. However, it cannot operate, because there is no legal framework.
Because the Constitutional Chamber in Costa Rica admitted an action challenging the articles regulating mergers and acquisitions, the file approval processes have been temporarily suspended.
Authorities informed that since last March 19, the Commission to Promote Competition (Coprocom) refrains from approving or failing processes of companies that seek to acquire others or merge in the country.
Due to failing to provide on time the information and documentation required to carry out a study on the beef market in the country, in El Salvador the Superintendence of Competition sanctioned Sukarne.
From the statement of the Superintendence of Competition:
After making more than 40 amendments to the previous project, the legislative commission will be presenting a proposal and expects the process to move forward without further modifications.
The Economy Commission of the Congress of the Republic reported that they presented a second opinion on the Competition Law initiative, and took the opportunity to explain that among the parties that participated in the work room, they agreed that the topic will be addressed in a single reading and no last minute amendments will be presented.
Twelve rice processors in El Salvador have been sanctioned for having set up an anti-competitive agreement for pricing for rice drying and threshing services.
The economic agents sanctioned are: Arrocera Omoa S.A. de C.V., Arrocera San Francisco S.A. de C.V., Agroindustria Centroamericana S.A. de C.V., Arrocera Jerusalén S.A. de C.V., Agroindustrias Gumarsal S.A. de C.V., Arrocera San Pablo S.A. de C.V., Beneficio de Arroz Los Ángeles S.A. de C.V., Industrias Arroceras Guevara Landaverde y Asociados S.A. de C.V. (Inagla), La Nueva Espiga S.A. de C.V., Arrocera San Mauricio S.A. de C.V., Beneficio de Arroz El Pueblo, and Beneficio de Arroz Rodriguez Inversiones.
The standard necessary to prevent anticompetitive business practices is driven by the obligation to comply with the provisions of the Association Agreement with Europe.
The lack of approval given to the draft of the Competition Act, which was read in Congress but is now pending a new discussion session, is affecting the country's image abroad in terms of meeting international commitments, according to a publication by Elperiodico.com.gt.
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Superintendency of Competition in the case brought against them by Telefónica, claiming the alleged illegality of a resolution which sanctioned an agreement between competitors in December 2011.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Competition in El Salvador:
Warnings have been given over the fact that the project does not include international best practices, and that "the chapter on concentrations needs to be revised because it contains elements that would make its prior controls inoperative."
From a statement issued by Asies:
ASIES' OPINION OF RULING 02-2016 BY THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN TRADE AND ECONOMY ON INITIATIVE 5074 REGARDING APPROVAL OF THE LAW OF ON COMPETITION
A program of "clemency" for companies that cooperate with information on anticompetitive practices in the sector is part of what is being proposed for the bill that will be analyzed in Congress.
The bill presented by the Ministry of Economy in May 2015 is being discussed in Congress, where they are working on a draft with changes to the text. The proposed leniency regime"... could include economic agents that take part in or have become involved in anticompetitive practices and who intend to cooperate with the investigations."
The bill presented to Congress creates the Superintendency of Competition which will be able to investigate business practices in order to punish them if they are anti-competitive.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy:
The Minister of Economy, Ruben Morales, presented the draft Competition Act to Congress, to regulate Articles 43, 119 and 130 of the Constitution of the Republic, in order to promote economic efficiency and fulfill the commitment made in the Association Agreement with the European Union.
There is a proposal to exclude the electricity, telecommunications, banking and agribusiness sectors from the law proposal on competition, since they are already subject to regulation.
The proposal put forward by CABI to exclude these sectors is based on the fact that companies operating in these areas are already subject to regulation and supervision. Paulo de Leon, analyst at the CABI, told Elperiodico.com.gt, for example, that in the case of agribusiness, not excluding them, "... would affect rising food prices and cost of the Basic Food Basket, food insecurity, and other things. " In the case of other sectors, according to De Leon, controls to prevent abuse of competition are already made by supervisory bodies such as the Superintendency of Telecommunications.
The decree approved by the Guatemalan Congress was the missing step needed to implement the free movement of people and goods between the two Central American countries.
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