Nueva ley de competencia en Uruguay / New competition law in Uruguay

La Ley 18.159 de "Promoción y Defensa de la Competencia" fue expedida por el Parlamento de Uruguay (Publicada D.O. 30 jul/007 - Nº 27288) el 10 de julio de 2007, reemplazando estableciendo de esta manera un régimen de competencia integral y sistemático.

La norma deroga expresamente los 13, 14 y 15 de la Ley Nº 17.243, de 29 de junio de 2000 y
los artículos 157 y 158 de la Ley Nº 17.296, de 21 de febrero de 2001.

La norma puede ser consultada en el portal del Parlamento de Uruguay en:

http://www.parlamento.gub.uy/leyes/AccesoTextoLey.asp?Ley=18159&Anchor=#art2art2

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Uruguay's Parliament enacted the Law Number 18,159, "Law of Promotion and Defense of Competition", the 10th of July of 2007. The competition law regulates the following: substantial issues (definitions, prohibition of anticompetitive practices and abuse of dominant position, merger control and sanctions), powers and competence of the competition authority and general rules for the proceedings.

The law repeals previous rules (articles 13, 14 and 15 of the Law 17.243 of 2000 and articles 157 and 158 of the Law 17.296 of 2001) which were not enforced effectively.

According to article 32 of the new competition law, the Executive Power must issue the regulations, of the pertinent aspects of the law, within the hundred and twenty days following its issuance.

Hence, Uruguay enters the club of countries of Latin America with a complete and systematic competition law. The rest of the crew are the following countries: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela.)

The law may be consulted in the webpage of the Parliament of Uruguay:
http://www.parlamento.gub.uy/leyes/AccesoTextoLey.asp?Ley=18159&Anchor=#art2art2

The original bill, which was presented by president Tabaré in July 2005 may be consulted in the following webpage:

http://www.mef.gub.uy/normativa/proyectos_ley/e_118_2005.pdf

A short reference, in Spanish, on the issuance of the law may be consulted at:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/publications/blc/boletin_23.pdf