Through the Competition Policy and Law Group (CPLG), APEC works to encourage market discipline, promote economic efficiency and eliminate distortions.
The CPLG recognizes the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 of building an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040. To this end, the CPLG is committed to realizing the following objectives, so as to contribute to the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 and the Aotearoa Plan of Action:
- Promote understanding of regional competition laws and policies with the view to facilitating APEC activities
- Identify areas for technical cooperation and capacity building among APEC member economies
- Promote exchanges and cooperation among competition agencies of member economies on competition policies and competition law enforcement, in order to formalize annual updates, facilitate contacts and monitor emerging issues
- Contribute to the work of the Economic Committee (in particular, the Enhanced APEC Agenda for Structural Reform)
The CPLG is responsible for practical aspects of competition law and enforcement to develop and enhance competition law and policy in APEC member economies. The group’s activities include:
- Sharing information on developments on competition laws and policies in APEC member economies and identifying best practices
- Providing information to the public on the competition laws and policies and other relevant information for each APEC Member Economy through the APEC Competition Policy and Law Database
- Conducting policy dialogues, workshops and producing publications on existing and emerging issues relating to competition policies and competition law and enforcement
- Conducting technical cooperation and capacity building activities for APEC member economies
- Engaging in cross-fora collaboration and with relevant stakeholders, including ABAC and other international organizations
Current Activities
Under Thailand’s leadership, in 2022 CPLG will focus on the following priorities:
- Development of legal instruments which help with economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
- Digital transformation and trade competition
- Competition policy and sustainable development
- Creating an enabling environment for open, transparent and competitive markets
- Close collaboration and engagement with international organizations
The CPLG held its most recent meeting virtually on 18 February 2022, hosted by Thailand. APEC member economies engaged in a policy dialogue on competition policy and digital transformation; provided updates on developments in their respective competition policies and laws, including recent case examples; and provided updates on the ongoing CPLG workshops and projects.
The CPLG hosted a workshop led by New Zealand on competition law and regulation in digital markets on 7 and 9 September 2021. The event helped develop a better understanding of the interplay between competition law, consumer protection, privacy and personal data protection when considering issues relating to digital platforms and the digital economy. It also helped increase understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the digital economy, the economic opportunities presented for growth, and the challenges for competition and regulatory agencies.
Background
The CPLG, formerly known as Competition Policy and Deregulation Group, was established in 1996, when the Osaka Action Agenda (OAA) work programs on competition policy and deregulation were combined. In 1999, APEC Ministers endorsed the APEC Principles to Enhance Competition and Regulatory Reform and approved a road map which established the basis for subsequent work on strengthening markets in the region. In 2008, members agreed to change the name of the group to the Competition Policy and Law Group to reflect the fact that regulatory aspects of competition are now being discussed within the framework of the Economic Committee.
The CPLG is established as a group under the APEC Economic Committee. The CPLG meets annually and comprises officials from agencies in charge of competition law enforcement or competition policy in all member economies.
Contacts
CPLG Convenor
Program Director
Last page update: March 2022