Level Playing Field Crucial in Post-Pandemic Recovery, PCC Chair tells UNCTAD Conference
Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) Chairman Arsenio M. Balisacan during the 8th United Nations Review Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection. (Photo courtesy of UNCTAD)
GENEVA 30 October 2020 – Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) Chairman Arsenio M. Balisacan highlighted the Philippine competition advocacies at the 8th United Nations Review Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection on 23 October 2020.
“Mainstreaming sound competition principles has taken on a greater sense of urgency in a COVID-19-disrupted world,” said Chairman Balisacan. “A business environment anchored on competition principles such as competitive neutrality during and post-pandemic will make way for a faster and more stable economic recovery,” added the Chairman.
Speaking through web conferencing from Manila, Chairman Balisacan briefed the Roundtable on the Philippines’ National Competition Policy (NCP), which provided substantive input to the medium-term Philippine Development Plan (PDP). He said the NCP, which requires that state-owned enterprises compete with private business on a level playing field, is based on the three pillars of pro-competitive policies and government intervention, competitive policy, and competition law.
Undertaken within the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Review Conference is the highest multilateral-level meeting on competition and consumer protection where the international community pursues the promotion of consumers’ welfare.
The UN Review Conference, a quinquennial conference that reviews the United Nations Set of Multilateral Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices (subtitled United Nation Set of Principles and Rules on Competition) adopted by the General Assembly in 1980, also discussed for the first time relevant consumer protection issues following UNGA’s revision of the UN guidelines in 2015.
In addition to Mr. Balisacan, the other speakers at the said Roundtable on Competitive Neutrality were Chairman of the Competition Council of Morroco Driss Guerraoui, Federal Economic Competition Commission of Mexico Executive Director of Cooperation Rodrigo Rios Dordelly, and Department of Treasury’s Market Conduct Division of Australia Senior Advisor Paul Palisi all joined him in the panel. END
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