The promoition of a competitive economic environment enhances the economic performance of developing countries through increased innovation, productivity and international competitiveness, which is particularly important in view of the globalisation of international trade and value chains. The development of competition and consumer protection systems in many Latin American countries had in the past suffered from deficiencies in enforcement due to weak institutions. COMPAL was launched in 2005 in view of strengthening competition and consumer protection systems, institutions and frameworks in Latin America.

COMPAL promotes sustainable competition and consumer protection systems in Latin America by strengthening the relevant institutions and fostering a better understanding of the benefits of competition. After two successful phases of COMPAL, the sustainability phase of COMPAL (COMPAL III) now seeks to establish a self-sustained regional platform that will continue to promote competition and consumer protection systems in Latin America beyond the conclusion of the COMPAL programme. For this purpose, COMPAL III will focus on consolidating the acquired capacities and deepening the regional cooperation in regard of competition and consumer protection, as well as it will promote private sector support of and compliance with competition and consumer protection rules. 16 Latin-American countries participate in COMPAL III: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dom. Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

Enhanced regional cooperation on competition and consumer protection policies.

Stronger policy coherence among the members of the programme.

Improved institutional knowledge on competition and consumer protection issues, in particular also on enforcement issues, through exchange of experience, peer-learning and specific training courses.

Stronger cooperation among different national government agencies on competition inssues and better awareness of the importance of policy coherence between competition and other relevant public policies.

Better knowledge and awareness of competition and consumer protection issues and rules in the private sector.

Improved compliance of the private sector with competition and consumer protection rules.

Expected results:  

Guidelines for the strengthening of competition and consumer protection policies and for the promotion of policy convergence regarding competition and consumer protection in the region.

COMPAL online Knowledge-Management Platform (for exchange of experience and peer-learning).

Policy dialogues on policy coherence (national and regional).

Studies on the impact of government competition measures on public and private entities.

New training courses for officials with the COMPAL School on Competition and Consumer Protection.

More regional events and initiatives in the area of competition and consumer protection.

Guidelines for companies on the application of competition and consumer protection rules and on competition leniency programmes.

Results from previous phases:  

COMPAL was launched in 2005 for a three year period. The positive results of COMPAL led to a second phase of the programme (COMPAL II) from 2009-2014. COMPAL has since become a worldwide model of regional cooperation for capacity-building on competition and consumer protection policies and has established itself as the one platform in Latin America for knowledge-sharing and peer-learning. COMPAL has resulted in the significant strengthening of the legal and institutional competition and consumer protection frameworks and has managed to place competition and consumer protection policies on the national and regional agendas. Concrete achievements of COMPAL II include the adoption or reform of competition and consumer protection laws and their subsequent enforcement, advice and training for the set-up of competition authorities, enlargement of COMPAL from 5 to 12 members and regular meetings of relevant senior officials in order to promote regional cooperation.