On 7-8 October 2025, over 100 participants representing around 20 competition authorities and international organisations met in Asunción, Paraguay, for the 23rd edition of the OECD-IDB Latin American and Caribbean Forum (LAACF), hosted this year by Competition Authority of Paraguay (CONACOM).
Spanning two days of dynamic discussions, the Forum focused this year in three key topics: competition and productivity, competition and intellectual property, and remedies in digital markets, exploring both the role and the challenges for competition authorities in those areas, as well as the specificities in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
One of the highlights was presence of the President of the Republic of Paraguay, Mr. Santiago Peña, for some opening remarks and an informal breakfast with head of competition authorities from the region, which reflects the priority given to competition policy in Paraguay.
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Competition policy can serve as a driver of productivity
The forum held a roundtable on Competition and Productivity which explored how competition policy can serve for a driver of productivity. The discussions emphasised the need to strengthen the analytical and institutional tools of competition authorities to better support economic development, which should consider the challenges present in Latin America and Caribbean countries – such as the large shares of informal markets. Delegates noted that limited resources and regulatory challenges often constrain the effectiveness of competition policy in the region. The session also underscored the importance of improving how competition and productivity are measured, to better understand their interaction and guide policymaking. In closing, the Chair reflected on the contrasts between Latin America and Europe, noting that structural and regulatory differences shape how competition influences productivity outcomes.
Further information on this session here.
Panellists included: Mario Umana (Lead Competition Consultant, IDB), Philip Keefer (Principal Economics Advisor, Institutions for Development Sector IFD, IDB), Esteban Greco (Director GAMES Economics, Argentina), Matias Busso (Economics Principal Specialist, Research Department, IDB), Vanessa Alviarez Rivero (Economics Lead Specialist, Research Department, IDB) and Cezar Santos (Economics Senior Specialist, Research Department, IDB).
Striking the right balance between competition and IP rights
This panel highlighted the need to balance competition and intellectual property (IP) policies to ensure both effectively promote innovation and consumer welfare. While they may complement each other, their objectives may sometimes diverge and proportionality is key to maintaining this balance. In Latin America and the Caribbean, competition authorities have become increasingly active in addressing anti-competitive practices involving IP, such as restrictive licensing, misuse of IP frameworks, collective management of rights, and sham litigation, as well as considering IP rights in merger control and remedies. The session also underscored the importance of advocacy and cooperation between competition authorities, IP agencies, and policymakers to integrate competition principles into IP regulation, build mutual understanding, and strengthen future enforcement efforts.
📗 Read the OECD note
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The panel included: Frédéric Jenny (Chairman, LACCF), Marcelo Guimarães (Competition Expert, OECD Competition Division), Claudia Franco Quevedo (Chairwoman, Paraguayan Intellectual Property Agency), Ivo Gagliuffi (Partner of Competition, Economic Regulation & IP, Garrigues, Perú office) and Felipe Irarrázabal (Director CentroCompetencia, University Adolfo Ibáñez).
LAC competition authorities are tackling growing digital economy challenges
The third session of the Forum focused on remedies in digital markets, highlighting the growing involvement of Latin American and Caribbean competition authorities in addressing challenges unique to the digital economy. Discussions emphasised that behavioural remedies are increasingly applied in those markets, while structural remedies remain limited but evolving (e.g. merger case in Honduras). The discussions revealed that digital market cases are on the rise, with competition authorities experimenting with interim measures and commitments to address complex competition concerns (e.g. WhatsApp case in Argentina and Apple case in Brazil). Delegates and experts discussed differences between reactive and proactive remedies, national legislative developments, such as Brazil’s proposed digital regulation, and the importance of strengthening institutional capacity. The session concluded by underscoring the value of cross-country cooperation, the need for mechanisms to facilitate joint action, and the importance of effectively testing and monitoring remedies to ensure their impact in fast-evolving digital markets.
📗 Read the OECD note
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✒️ Don't miss! On 4 March 2026, the annual OECD Competition Open Day will hold a session on Remedy Design and much more. Check out the programme and register to join the debate!
OECD Regional Centre for Competition in LAC as a regional capacity-building hub
The Forum also served to present the annual report of the activities developed by the OECD Regional Centre for Competition in Latin America, hosted by the Peruvian Competition Authority (INDECOPI) in Peru, and gathered inputs for next year’s work plan, namely the topics for capacity building activities. Since its inception in 2019, nearly 2 000 participants including competition officials, regulators and judges have benefited from the activities delivered by the RCC in Lima, Peru.
🔗 More about the centre
The OECD-IDB Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum serves as an annual platform where stakeholders in the region come together to share knowledge and experiences on competition policies and their enforcement. For more information on the event and its previous editions, please visit the Forum webpage.
The next edition will be hosted by Argentina's National Competition Authority and will take place in Buenos Aires on 14-15 October 2026.
