anti - trust

New legal framework

Antitrust Law is a new area of the law in Ecuador and the Andean Community of Nations. The supra-national Andean Community Decision 608 (Rules for the Protection and Promotion of Free Competition in the Andean Community) and Decision 616 (Free Competition Extension to Ecuador), were enacted in April and July 2005, respectively, to govern antitrust matters in the Andean Region. In 2009 Ecuador issued Resolution 1614, which contain the rules for the application of Decision 608 in the country.

Anti - competitive practices
and sanctions

Ecuadorian and Andean antitrust policy aims to protect trade and commerce from unlawful restraints, price discriminations, price fixing and monopolies. The legal framework governs predatory pricing, tie-ins, price gouging, refusal to deal and other anti-competitive practices.

In addition to injunctive remedies, Ecuadorian and Andean law contemplate sanctions of up to 10% of the violator’s gross income for antitrust violations. The law also allows injunctive relief.

Antitrust counseling

Paz Horowitz’s competition law specialists have the capacity to counsel clients in both the legal and economic aspects of antitrust matters.

Our firm has provided antitrust compliance training and advice to both foreign and domestic clients in order for them to institute best practices and avoid competition law investigations.

Litigation

Paz Horowitz’s antitrust experts are well versed in the procedural and legal aspects of Ecuador’s competition law and are uniquely qualified to litigate antitrust matters.