Have Your Say: Competition Amendment Bill [B23 - 2018]

In line with Parliament’s core objective of facilitating public participation and involvement in legislative processes, the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development will conduct Public Hearings in Parliament on the Competition Amendment Bill [B23 – 2018] on Tuesday, 28 and Wednesday, 29 August 2018.

The Competition Amendment Bill [B23 – 2018] seeks to to amend the Competition Act, 1998, so as to introduce provisions that clarify and improve the determination of prohibited practices relating to restrictive horizontal and vertical practices, abuse of dominance and price discrimination and to strengthen the penalty regime; to introduce greater flexibility in the granting of exemptions which promote transformation and growth; to strengthen the role of market inquiries and merger processes in the promotion of competition and economic transformation through addressing the structures and de-concentration of markets; to protect and stimulate the growth of small and medium businesses and firms owned and controlled by historically disadvantaged persons while at the same time protecting and promoting employment, employment security and worker ownership; to facilitate the effective participation of the National Executive within proceedings contemplated in the Act, including making provision for the National Executive intervention in respect of mergers that affect the national security interests of the Republic; to mandate the Competition Commission to act in accordance with the results of a market inquiry; to amend the process by which market inquiries are initiated and promote greater efficiency regarding the conduct of market inquiries; to clarify and foster greater certainty regarding the determination of confidential information and access to confidential information; to provide the Competition Commission with the powers to conduct impact studies on prior decisions; to promote the administrative efficiency of the Competition Commission and Competition Tribunal; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Interested individuals and interest groups wishing to comment on the above-mentioned Bill are kindly requested to forward written submissions to the Portfolio Committee by no later than Friday, 17 August 2018. Stakeholders interested in making oral submissions are also requested to make a written request or contact our office by the same date.

All correspondence should be addressed to Mrs EM Coleman, MP - Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development and marked for the attention of Mr Peter-Paul Mbele, PO Box 15, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, Cape Town, 8000 or E-mail to pmbele@parliament.gov.za or fax: 086 651 5739,  telephone: (021) 403 8072 or 083 412 1577. 

Issued by: 

Mrs EM Coleman, MP
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development.