Competition Law at Uruguay
Here’s an overview of Competition Law in Uruguay:
🇺🇾 Competition Law in Uruguay
1. Legal Framework
Uruguay’s competition law is governed by Law No. 18,159 (2007) on Economic Competition and the Control of Market Power.
The law is designed to promote free competition, prevent monopolies, and prohibit anti-competitive conduct.
2. Key Provisions
Prohibited Practices:
Anti-competitive agreements such as cartels, price-fixing, market allocation, and bid-rigging.
Abuse of dominant position, including predatory pricing and refusal to deal.
Merger Control:
Transactions exceeding specific turnover thresholds require prior notification and approval by the competition authority.
The authority evaluates whether mergers could substantially lessen competition or create dominant positions.
3. Enforcement Authority
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (Comisión de Promoción y Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección al Consumidor, CPDP) is the key regulatory body.
It investigates anti-competitive behavior, reviews mergers, and promotes competition policy.
4. Sanctions and Remedies
The authority can impose administrative fines and order cessation of anti-competitive conduct.
Fines can be significant, often calculated as a percentage of annual turnover.
5. Additional Notes
Uruguay’s competition law aligns with international standards, incorporating principles similar to those of the EU and OECD.
The CPDP also handles consumer protection matters, integrating competition and consumer rights enforcement.
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