Competition authorities cannot look at coordinated enforcement action against international cartels: CCI chief

As efforts continue to curb unfair business practices, CCI chief Ravneet Kaur on Tuesday said competition authorities cannot look at coordinated action in terms of enforcement against international cartels as each country has a different ecosystem. While addressing the media about the BRICS International Competition Conference to be held in the national capital from October 11-13, she also emphasised that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with various competition authorities is an important instrument that allows for cooperation and sharing experiences.

To a query regarding enforcement against international cartels, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) Chairperson said that when it comes to enforcement, “we have to be very careful in terms of enforcement because each authority has its own legal framework”.

“Each authority has a different ecosystem, each country has a different ecosystem. While we look at cooperation in the field of enforcement, we cannot look at coordinated action, it has to be under the relevant statutes. So, I feel MoU empowers us enough to look at cooperation on issues, which are being faced by various countries and beyond the borders,” she said in the national capital.

Meanwhile, Kaur said the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has been very helpful in addressing the pending cases as the tribunal has a dedicated bench for competition matters.

She also said that draft norms for leniency plus provisions under the amended competition law will be put out for public consultations soon.