The purpose of establishing the Authority for Protection of Competition and Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices
The Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) is affiliated to the Prime Minister (the competent minister). It was established to be the agency responsible for monitoring the market and enforcing the provisions of the Law. It ensures that market agents carry out economic activity in a manner that does not harm competition. It also aims to spread the culture of competition and support competition policies in the Egyptian society.
Establishing the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA)
The ECA was established with the enforcement of the Law on the Protection of Competition and Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices on May 16, 2005. The ECA began investigating, searching and collecting evidence as of January 2006.
Difference between the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA), the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) and the Anti-Dumping, Subsidy and Safeguard Department
Sometimes confusion occurs because there is a unified goal for those three entities, which is to protect consumers and markets from any harmful practices. However, the role of each of them differs from the other:
The Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) was established in order to provide a competitive environment in which people and companies can freely conduct their economic activities, which enhances competition in the market and contributes to making goods and services available to consumers with higher quality and lower prices
The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) was established to preserve consumer rights if it obtained defective, unusable or non-compliant products.
Finally, the Anti-Dumping, Subsidy and Safeguard Department was established in order to protect the markets from dumping and unfair trade practices by ensuring that the value of goods exported to Egypt matches their normal value in the country of origin. Their tasks also include taking measures to combat subsidies of any form in the event of a negative impact on the local industry. Finally, to take preventive measures in the event of a significant increase in imports of a certain commodity, that may affect the local industry.
