Fostering competition in ASEAN is a project that reviews regulatory constraints on competition in all ten ASEAN member countries to identify regulations that hinder the efficient functioning of markets and create an unlevel playing field for business.

The project focuses on the logistics sector and comprises two parallel components: competition assessment reviews of specific logistics sub-sectors and competitive neutrality reviews of small-package delivery services.

The OECD will issue a report per component for each ASEAN member state and two regional reports that compile the key findings. The project is undertaken in partnership with ASEAN and funded by the UK Prosperity Fund (UK Government),

Two reports, a competition assessment and a competitive neutrality assessment of the logistics sector in the Philippines will be launched in co-operation with the Philippine Competition Commission on 29 January 2021.  

Please note that a live link to watch the launch will be made available on 29 January on this site.

Project work streams 

Competition assessement: Achieving more pro-competitive regulation in ASEAN 

Competitive neutrality assessment: Towards a level playing field between state-owned enterprises and private entities

Fostering competition in Thailand

Competition Primers for ASEAN Judges

OECD Peer Review of Competition Law and Policy in Viet Nam 2018

OECD participation in the implementation of the ASEAN Competition Action Plan

Alongside other organisations and countries, the OECD is sharing its competition policy, competition enforcement and capacity building expertise with ASEAN Member States. Working in close co-operation with ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Expert Group on Competition, the OECD is supporting the implementation of the ASEAN Competition Action Plan (ACAP) 2016-2025 and contributing to the Asean Secretariat's mission to attain a level playing field for all firms through effective competition policy. 

The essential role of competition policy in ASEAN

The ASEAN Economic Community is one of the three pillars of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Its main purpose is to transform ASEAN into a single market and production base. It aims to create a highly competitive economic region with equitable economic development, providing members with an open and integrated market where there is increased product choice and competitive pricing.

For this purpose, the ASEAN Economic Community expressly acknowledges that operational and effective competition rules are necessary for ASEAN to be a competitive region with well-functioning markets. It has therefore developed the ACAP with several goals and initiatives to cement competition policy as an integral economic policy. Its fundamental goal is to provide a level playing field for all firms regardless of their ownership, to facilitate liberalisation and to create a unified market as well as to support the formation of a more competitive and innovative region.

Background and general framework of the work in ASEAN

ASEAN’s competition work has reached a key transitional moment, with nine out of ten of its members having competition laws in force. The effective enforcement of these competition laws and policies will now be essential in the decade to come.

Competition policy constitutes an important part of the ASEAN Vision 2020 for regional economic integration. The member states have thus agreed to implement significant reforms towards market liberalisation and the elimination of competition distortions as part of the ACAP 2016-2025. This provides strategic goals, initiatives and outcomes to fulfil the competition-related vision of the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and to improve the competition policy and culture of ASEAN. Furthermore, cooperation and discussion amongst competition agencies are facilitated through workshops, training and seminars organised by the Experts group on competition. These capacity-building activities focus on institutional building, law enforcement and advocacy.

The benefits of competition

The general benefits of a well-functioning competition regime are well known, empirically demonstrated and widely accepted. Competition helps to drive economic growth and efficiency by increasing productivity, rewarding the innovation that brings new and better products, promoting consumer welfare and creating a better environment for investment and trade. Competition policy also helps to ensure that the benefits of trade and investment liberalisation are not compromised by anti-competitive practices.

Competition policy can contribute significantly to continued and sustained growth across ASEAN, at a time when member states are strengthening their collaboration as part of the ASEAN Economic Community.

Download the project flyer: Fostering Competition in ASEAN

DOCUMENTS AND LINKS

Competition Law in Asia-Pacific: A Guide to Selected Jurisdictions

OECD Competition and Macroeconomic outcomes 

ASEAN Competition Action Plan (2016-2025)

ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC)

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

OECD Competition 

For queries about the project, please contact: asean.competition.policy@oecd.org

Topics

Abuse of dominance & monopolisation

Cartels & anti-competitive agreements

Digital Economy and innovation

Enforcement practices

Evaluation of competition interventions 

‌International co-operation

‌Liberalisation & intervention in regulated sectors

Market studies

‌Mergers

Pro-competitive policy reforms  

Key materials, Tools & Guidance

Best practice roundtables

Calendar of activities

Competition assessment toolkit

Country reports & peer reviews

Fighting bid rigging in public procurement 

Recommendations

Reports by the Competition Committee

Reports by competition agencies

Global Relations

About global relations

Hungary centre

Korea centre

Global Forum on Competition

Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum