PRESS RELEASE
10 February 2025

PCC, Thai counterpart sign MoU on joint competition law enforcement

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and the Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cross-border collaboration in competition law enforcement.

PCC Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo and TCCT Chairperson Maitree Sutapakul led the signing ceremony on February 4, 2025 at the PCC office in Quezon City.

The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation between the PCC and TCCT, including information sharing, notification of enforcement activities, coordination of investigations of mutual interest, and technical collaboration through initiatives such as personnel exchanges and joint training.

In his opening remarks, Aguinaldo emphasized the increasing importance of cooperation in the enforcement of competition law enforcement in today's integrated economies.

“In a world where economies are becoming increasingly integrated, it has never been more important to harmonize the ways in which we enforce these laws to ensure more effective and efficient implementation while respecting each other’s autonomy and independence,” Aguinaldo said.

Sutapakul noted that the PCC and TCCT have been cultivating international relations for years through ASEAN forums and programs, such as the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition.

“I sincerely hope that this MoU serves as evidence to the enhanced commitment to competition enforcement and advocacy shared by both nations,” he said.

This partnership marks the PCC's fifth international bilateral agreement, following MoUs with China (2019), Hong Kong (2020), Singapore (2021), and Australia (2024).

As the Philippines’ primary antitrust agency, the PCC is responsible for enforcing the Philippine Competition Act, which prohibits anti-competitive practices, abuse of dominance, and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions to ensure fair competition and protect consumer welfare. It is also mandated to act as the official representative of the Philippine government in international competition matters.

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REFERENCE:
publicaffairs@phcc.gov.ph
PCC Public Affairs and Research Division

LINK: https://www.phcc.gov.ph/resource-details/pcc-thai-counterpart-sign-mou-on-joint-competition-law-enforcement