Workshop engages stakeholders on competition policies and law

In order to raise awareness of competition and its policies and laws, The Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre(cmc), organised on Sunday a workshop with the participation of international experts and academics in the field of competition and law from Britain and Australia. The workshop was attended by more than 100 participants from various government and private stakeholders, including a number of small and medium enterprises,

In his opening speech His Highness Dr Adham bin Turki al Said, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Centre, said: “This workshop was designed to be specialised engagement in competition policies and laws. We invited international competition experts with the aim of exchanging knowledge, experience and creating a greater awareness of the role and importance of the competition. The workshop is a platform for The Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre to engage various stakeholders on competition. Our aim is to recognise local and global developments and applying the best international practices in competition.”

He pointed out during the workshop that the mission of Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre is to provide a robust and progressive competition regime that forms the enabling framework to grow a vibrant economy with competitive markets and innovative businesses. This will strengthen the ability of domestic companies to compete in the international market. It will also attract foreign investments to Oman because companies know that they will operate in a fair competitive environment.

The workshop showcased the contribution of competition policy and law to economic and social welfare by Russell Miller, an internationally recognised lawyer, member of Minter Ellison’s Australian Competition Group. He explained the concepts related to competition policy, the most important objectives of competition laws in other countries and examples of international experiences in the application of competition law.

In his keynote, Professor Richard Whish, Emeritus Professor of Law at King’s College London, presented key developments in the competition law and policy in the digital economy. He also draws comparisons between the law and predatory pricing and anti-dumping. Furthermore, he reviewed how to protect and promote competition in light of the rapid pace of technological development and its impact on markets.

In his presentation, Professor Peter Whelan, Professor of Law at the school of law at University of Leeds and expert in competition law and criminal law, highlighted the criminal Enforcement of Competition Law and reviewed the UK’S experience in developing the competition system.

The organisation of the workshop is part of the centre’s awareness plan to organise a series of workshops and awareness sessions on the law of competition protection and antimonopoly to the relevant authorities. The free market in a manner that does not restrict, prevent or damage competition.

The Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre was established by Royal Decree 2/2018, with a mandate to uphold the laws and regulations relating to competition protection and monopoly prevention, protecting markets from abusive practices, preparing studies and researches in the market to detect harmful practices in competition, receiving and investigating complaints and reports from persons, Investigating cases of monopoly and forbidden practices and Studying the requests for economic concentration submitted to the Centre.

The mission of Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre is to provide a robust and progressive competition regime that forms the enabling framework to grow a vibrant economy with competitive markets and innovative businesses