Phnom Penh, 26 July 2022: H.E. Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Cambodia Competition Commission (CCC), chaired the 1st meeting at the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) with the purposes to invite all members of CCC for an inaugural meeting and present after the issuance of Decision of Royal Government of Cambodia No. 47 SSR dated 14 July 2022 on the Appointment of the Composition of CCC. The meeting also reviewed and discussed on the Internal Rules of CCC and other related work.

The Law on Competition was promulgated by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, King of the Kingdom of Cambodia, through Royal Kram No. NS / RKAM / 1021/013 dated 5 October 2021, bringing all 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) together with competition laws as envisioned under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025. The enactment of this law satisfies one of Cambodia’s obligations to not only ASEAN but also the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Highly effective enforcement and implementation of the Law on Competition will create a level playing field for businesses in Cambodia to compete through various means including innovation, high quality and low prices of products and services where ultimately benefit to consumers and national economic growth.

Article 4 of the Law on Competition stipulates the establishment of CCC as an authority to lead and oversee the enforcement and implementation of the Law on Competition. In compliance with this stipulation, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Head of the Royal Government of Cambodia, decided to sign a Sub-Decree No. 37 ANKR.BK dated 17 February 2022 on the Organization and Functioning of the Cambodia Competition Commission and issued a Decision No. 47 SSR dated 14 July 2022 on the Appointment of the Composition of the CCC. Notably, CCC is composed of a total of fifteen (15) members, of which ten (10) members are representatives from the relevant ministries and institutions, and the remaining five (5) members are independent individuals (1 Former Judge, 2 Economists, and 2 Legal Practitioners) who had been through the selection process. Principally, Consumer Protection Competition and Fraud Repression (CCF) Directorate-General acts as an enforcement body whilst the decision-making power vested in CCC to determine the violations stipulated under the Law on Competition based on the evidence provided by the investigating officials of the CCF Directorate-General. Henceforth, the composition of CCC entails the engagement of independent individuals, who are former judges, economists and legal practitioners, with clear expertise to take part in the decision-making on the determination of offenses fairly and precisely under the Law on Competition.

In addition to the success of the establishment of CCC, Two Hundred and Eighty-Five (285) CCF Directorate-General Leaders and Officials had fulfilled the oath-taking procedure entitled as Judicial Police held at the Municipal and Provincial Courts to inspect and investigate offenses under the Law on Competition.

Presently, as an enforcement body of CCC, CCF Directorate-General has been developing a number of foundational regulations to support the effective enforcement and implementation of the Competition Law.