First Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum

Introduction

In July 2024, the Permanent Secretariat will organise the XII Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Competition in Latin America and the Caribbean (WGTC), in collaboration with UNCTAD. This meeting has been held for more than a decade, under the auspices of SELA, and has become the only space in which the issue of trade and competition policy in the region is analysed and debated. On this occasion, in addition to the aforementioned meeting, the First Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum will be held in order to promote review and consideration sessions with practical cases shared with civil society and the private sector.

As main deliverables, it is expected to publish documents containing: i) competition policies; ii) insights on regional convergence; iii) a report on the topics addressed and the debates conducted during the event; and iv) recommendations arising from the debates held during the forum.

The Forum is structured around three main themes that have been consulted with leading experts in the field of competition, namely: disclosure, compensation for damages, and confidentiality and professional secrecy. These topics will be addressed by an expert, who will also present an academic paper that will then be commented on by other experts on the panel.

The Forum is expected to bring together professionals and experts to share their experiences and expertise in the practice of competition law and to make suggestions and contributions to improve competition law regulation and enforcement.

Objectives

Establish a space to share best practices and generate an exchange of experiences among experts and academics, as well as among competition authorities, that will contribute to the proper application of competition regulations for the good functioning of markets.
Generate a network of contacts related to competition policy that facilitates the application of transparent policies in the region that, in turn, stimulate intra-regional trade.
Expand spaces for discussion and consultation on the competition regime in the region.

Participants

The Forum is aimed at focal points in the area of competition in the Member States of SELA and international and regional organisations, as well as experts in the field and special guests.

Logistical aspects

Language: Spanish (with simultaneous interpretation into English)
Country: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Venue: Clarion Hotel Real Tegucigalpa

Agenda

Opening of the First Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum
Day 1: Academic Forum on Competition in Latin America and the Caribbean
09:00 – 09:30	Registration
09:30 – 10:00	Opening and welcoming to the Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum. Competition Agency of the host country – Honduras. Clarems Endara. Permanent Secretariat, Latin American and Caribbean Economic System. Juan Luis Crucelegui. Chief Capacity Building and Consulting Services of the Department of Consumer and Competition, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Suyen Muñoz. President Commissioner of the Commission for the Defence and Promotion of Competition of Honduras.
10:00 – 11:30	Discussion Panel I, Topic: Confidentiality and professional secrecy. Felipe Serrano, President of the Colombian Association of Competition Law. *Right to competition. 20 to 30 minutes presentation Experts commenting on the article: Juan Pablo Herrera Saavedera. Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Universidad Externado de Colombia. Alfonso Miranda Londoño. Lawyer and Director of CEDEC - Colombia. Fausto Alvarado. President of the Board of Members of the Ecuadorian Institute of Competition Law. Round table debate among experts. Commentators on the topic will have access to the article presented by the expert in advance to do research and enrich the discussion with their comments, observations, and inputs. Commentaries of Competition Agencies present*
11:30 - 12:00	Question and answer session
12:00 – 13:30	LUNCH
13:30 – 15:00	Discussion Panel II, Topic: Damages. María Pilar Canedo. Senior Expert of the Organization for Co-operation and Economic Development (OECD). The role of administration in damages. 20 to 30 minutes presentation Experts commenting on the article: Fernando Cachafeiro. Titular Professor of Mercantile Law at Universidad de A Coruña. Felipe Serrano. Director of the Centre for Competition. Alejandro Ibarra. Associate of the Competition Law Center, George Washington University. Round table debate among experts. Commentators on the topic will have access to the article presented by the expert in advance to do research and enrich the discussion with their comments, observations, and inputs. Commentaries of Competition Agencies present
15:00 – 15:30	Question and answer session (open to the public)
15:30 – 15:45	Coffee break
15:45 – 17:15	Discussion Panel III, Topic: Denunciation programs Alfonso Miranda Londoño. Lawyer and Director of CEDEC, Colombia 20 to 30 minutes presentation Experts commenting on the article: María Pilar Canedo. Senior Expert of the Organization for Co-operation and Economic Development (OECD) Edgar Odio. Lawyer Expert in Competition Law. Suyen Muñoz. President Commissioner of the Commission for the Defence and Promotion of Competition of Honduras. *Alexandre Ditzel Faraco. Lawyer specialized in competition. Round table debate among experts. Commentators on the topic will have access to the article presented by the expert in advance to do research and enrich the discussion with their comments, observations, and inputs. Commentaries of Competition Agencies present*
17:15 – 17:45	Question and answer session
17:45 – 18:00	Closing and conclusions