August 28/2013
Japan Fair Trade Commission
The Japan Fair Trade Commission (hereinafter, “JFTC”) today in Manila, the Philippines, signed Memorandum on Cooperation with the Department of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines (hereinafter, “Philippine DOJ”), which is the competition authority of the Republic of the Philippines, and Cooperation Arrangement with the Competition Authority of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (hereinafter, “VCA”), which is the competition authority of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, respectively. Those are outlined as follows:
1. Backgrounds
(i) Memorandum on Cooperation with the Philippine DOJ
In September 2006, the “Agreement between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines for an Economic Partnership” was signed. The Agreement has the chapter on “Competition” that contains provisions such that both countries shall cooperate in the field of promoting competition by addressing anti-competitive activities. The JFTC thereafter continues providing the Philippines with its technical cooperation in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereinafter, “JICA”) since 2010. After the Philippine DOJ was designated as the competition authority by the President’s Executive Order in June 2011, the JFTC has been providing its technical cooperation mainly to the officials of the Philippine DOJ. Under such circumstances, the JFTC has conducted consultation with the Philippine DOJ for the Memorandum which is designed to further develop cooperation between both competition authorities in the future.
(ii) Cooperation Arrangement with the VCA
In December 2008, the “Agreement between Japan and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for an Economic Partnership (hereinafter, “JVEPA”) was signed. The JVEPA has the chapter on “Competition” that contains provisions such that both countries shall cooperate in the field of promoting competition by addressing anti-competitive activities. Meanwhile, the JFTC continues its technical cooperation for Viet Nam in collaboration with JICA since 2008, including repeated dispatches of its staff to the VCA as JICA long-term experts in September 2008 onwards. Under such circumstances, the JFTC has conducted consultation with the VCA for the Arrangement which is formulated as a detailed instruction of the JVEPA, as aiming at further development of cooperation between both competition authorities in the future.
2. Signers
(i) Memorandum on Cooperation with the Philippine DOJ
The JFTC: Chairman Mr. Kazuyuki Sugimoto
The Philippine DOJ: Secretary Ms. Leila M. De Lima
(ii) Cooperation Arrangement with the VCA
The JFTC: Chairman Mr. Kazuyuki Sugimoto
The VCA: Director General Mr. Back Van Mung
3. Contents of the Memorandum etc.
(i) Memorandum on Cooperation with the Philippine DOJ
This Memorandum provides the manners of notification and exchange of information, etc. between the JFTC and the Philippine DOJ. This Memorandum is to contribute to effective enforcement of the competition laws of each country through the development of cooperative relationship between both competition authorities.
(ii) Cooperation Arrangement with the VCA
This Arrangement provides details concerning the implementation of the cooperation set forth in the JVEPA in terms of the manners of notification, exchange of information, coordination of enforcement activities, etc. between the JFTC and the VCA.
*Every announcement is tentative translation. Please refer to the original text written in Japanese.
