In July 2024, the Permanent Secretariat will organise the XII Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Competition in Latin America and the Caribbean (WGTC), in collaboration with UNCTAD. This meeting has been held for more than a decade, under the auspices of SELA, and has become the only space in which the issue of trade and competition policy in the region is analysed and debated. On this occasion, in addition to the aforementioned meeting, the First Latin American and Caribbean Competition Forum will be held in order to promote review and consideration sessions with practical cases shared with civil society and the private sector.

As main deliverables, it is expected to publish documents containing: i) competition policies; ii) insights on regional convergence; iii) a report on the topics addressed and the debates conducted during the event; and iv) recommendations arising from the debates held during the forum.

The Forum is structured around three main themes that have been consulted with leading experts in the field of competition, namely: disclosure, compensation for damages, and confidentiality and professional secrecy. These topics will be addressed by an expert, who will also present an academic paper that will then be commented on by other experts on the panel.

The Forum is expected to bring together professionals and experts to share their experiences and expertise in the practice of competition law and to make suggestions and contributions to improve competition law regulation and enforcement.

• Establish a space to share best practices and generate an exchange of experiences among experts and academics, as well as among competition authorities, that will contribute to the proper application of competition regulations for the good functioning of markets.
• Generate a network of contacts related to competition policy that facilitates the application of transparent policies in the region that, in turn, stimulate intra-regional trade.
• Expand spaces for discussion and consultation on the competition regime in the region.

The Forum is aimed at focal points in the area of competition in the Member States of SELA and international and regional organisations, as well as experts in the field and special guests.

Language: Spanish (with simultaneous interpretation into English)
Country: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Venue: Clarion Hotel Real Tegucigalpa