MUSCAT :The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP), in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), recently wrapped up a groundbreaking three-day workshop dedicated to intellectual property and competition protection. The event, which commenced on Monday, October 30, 2023, marked WIPO's inaugural foray into the Arab region and saw the presence of distinguished figures, including Dr.Saleh bin Said Masan, Commerce and Industry Under-Secretary at MoCIIP.
The primary objective of the workshop was to emphasize the critical importance of preserving fair competition and preventing monopolistic practices. It aimed to leverage international expertise to enhance the knowledge and professional standards of all participants.
Oman's commitment to regulating economic activities and promoting market principles that ensure price freedom without stifling free competition is exemplified by the Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Law enacted under Royal Decree 67/2014.
The comprehensive agenda of the workshop delved into a wide range of pivotal topics, providing participants with practical insights and actionable takeaways. It drew on WIPO's extensive knowledge base while sharing Egypt's valuable experiences in assessing non-competitive agreements.
The program placed a strong emphasis on intellectual property, assessing market dominance, complaint resolution procedures, and the evaluation of economic concentrations. Furthermore, it explored the intricate intersection of intellectual property and competition, with specific relevance to the pharmaceutical and digital platform industries. The workshop also shed light on the enforcement of competition law.
Nasra al Habsi, Assistant General Manager of the Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre at MoCIIP, outlined the center's overarching objectives and responsibilities, including the regulation of economic activities, the establishment of equitable market rules, and ensuring price freedom without inhibiting fair competition. The center plays a crucial role in enforcing laws and regulations related to competition protection and monopoly prevention, actively researching harmful competition practices, and managing complaints related to anti-competitive conduct.
Rana Khoweiled, the Head of the Mergers and Acquisitions Department at the Egyptian Competition Authority, stressed the importance of competition protection and monopoly prevention laws within the broader economy. She highlighted the workshop as a significant part of ongoing cooperation between Oman and Egypt across diverse fields.
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