ISLAMABAD, 29 SEPTEMBER, 2016: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has initiated a comprehensive plan to revamp its existing guidelines on substantive and procedural aspects of the competition law in Pakistan and the working of the Commission. During the process, CCP will also add new guidelines particularly ones regarding the interpretation and application of provisions relating to prohibition of anti-competitive behavior. The aim of drafting and publishing these guidelines is to explain competition law in simple terms for the benefit of the stakeholders especially the businesses and the general public.

In this regard, CCP has published the ‘Guidelines on Section 3: Abuse of Dominance’ as a first in a series of similar publications that will follow soon. In the guidelines, commentary on various aspects of abuse of dominance is supplemented with easy-to-understand examples and illustrations. It is expected that the guidelines will greatly help stakeholders in understanding and complying with the law. While these guidelines have currently been published in English and Urdu, the translation into regional languages is underway and will be completed soon. The guidelines can be accessed via the website www.cc.gov.pk.

CCP will publish its Guidelines on Voluntary Compliance as a next step which would assist the businesses in voluntarily adopting measures that minimize the risk of violating competition law and ensuring that business practices are in compliance with competition principles. This initiative is being undertaken as part of CCP’s advocacy mandate provided under Section 29 of the Competition Act, 2010 which entails an active role of the Commission in creating competition awareness in the country.