Doha, November 15 (QNA) - The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with Qatar Development Bank (QDB), organized a workshop titled "Protection of Competition and Prevention of Monopolistic Practices Law: What Your Business Needs to Know," featuring the participation of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners.
The workshop aimed to introduce the fundamental concepts of competition protection and the key provisions of Law No. 19 of 2006 on the Protection of Competition and Prevention of Monopolistic Practices, including its scope of application and enforcement authorities. It also clarified the legal rights and obligations incumbent upon businesses, bolstering their ability to conduct commercial operations within approved legislative frameworks.
The session addressed several key themes, including anti-competitive agreements and practices, abuse of market dominance, such as price fixing, market sharing, and bid rigging among competitors, alongside statutory exemptions and penalties, as well as obligations governing economic concentration and notification procedures.
Furthermore, the workshop reviewed mechanisms for filing reports and complaints regarding anti-competitive practices, the stages for reviewing and adjudicating them, and the competencies of the Competition Protection Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Committee for the Protection of Competition and Prevention of Monopolistic Practices. It also highlighted services offered by the department, including confidential reporting channels and voluntary reviews of economic concentration applications prior to formal notification.
The workshop falls under QDB's ongoing efforts to enhance the readiness of Qatar-based companies by raising awareness of their legal rights and duties, as well as the regulatory frameworks governing their commercial activities.
It is also part of the "Dirayah" program, a specialized business environment awareness and empowerment initiative designed to acquaint companies with the services provided by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and other government entities, operational requirements and obligations, and available market opportunities. (QNA)