AdC assures vigilance of antitrust practices that exploit current situation to the detriment of people and economy
Press release 03/2020
March 16 2020
AdC assures vigilance of anticompetitive practices that exploit current situation
In times of great collective effort, the AdC wishes to assure that it remains particularly vigilant in its mission. This includes the detection of possible anticompetitive practices that exploit the current situation to the detriment of people and the economy, through price fixing or market sharing.
Suppliers, distributors, resellers from any sector of the economy, including goods and services for health protection, supplies to households and businesses or others needed by the community, must adopt responsible and lawful business behaviour at any level of the supply chain, including in e-commerce.
The adoption of practices that restrict competition in the current context will tend to worsen the situation of households and of the economy.
The AdC wishes to recall that any person or company may electronically report suspected anti-competitive practices by using the AdC Complaints Portal (in Portuguese only).
Moreover, the AdC is in permanent coordination with sectoral regulators and public entities, with a view to proactively detecting competition problems that may further harm the situation of the community.
In addition, the AdC has implemented a specific Contingency Plan designed to mitigate public health risks, with regard to both its staff and other stakeholders. The AdC’s Contingency Plan provides for several measures, namely remote working for most staff, cancelling all public events, temporarily closing its Competition Library to the public; restricting traveling; and distributing protective gear to staff.
The AdC is therefore ensuring the continuity of its activities in competition enforcement and it encourages stakeholders to use the available electronic tools on its website, including the Electronic Notification System for mergers.
Additional prevention measures, which may be adapted from time to time to the evolution of the situation, are viewed with the caution, responsibility and orientation to the public good, which are the standard of the AdC.
