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Los mercados en el Istmo Centroamericano y México: ¿qué ha pasado con la competencia?

Author

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  • Rivera, Eugenio
  • Schatan, Claudia

Abstract

La política de competencia ha cobrado importancia tanto a escala mundial como en la subregión del Istmo Centroamericano y México. Ello ha ocurrido en la medida en que las reformas económicas introducidas desde mediados del decenio de 1980 en un gran número de países ?privatización de empresas estatales de utilidad pública, desregulación de precios, apertura comercial y de flujos de capitales internacionales? no dieron, en forma espontánea, los resultados que se esperaban en cuanto al funcionamiento competitivo de los mercados. En este sentido, habría sido clave la existencia de un marco legal e institucional que garantizara un comportamiento adecuado de los actores económicos. Los países de la subregión avanzaron con mayor o menor celeridad en este propósito, dependiendo tanto de las facilidades y apoyos con que contaban para establecer una ley y una autoridad de competencia, como de las resistencias a la aprobación de los agentes económicos que participaron en los mercados. En 2006, mientras El Salvador y Honduras promulgaban sus primeras leyes de competencia, Costa Rica, Panamá y México revisaban las suyas, con una década o más de aplicación, para superar las debilidades encontradas en ellas. Aunque los principios de la competencia sean de carácter universal, las economías pequeñas y en desarrollo (EPED) requieren abordar el tema con un criterio propio. Varios aspectos necesitan un enfoque especial: 1) la escasa familiaridad de la sociedad con la lógica de la competencia; 2) la concentración del poder económico y político en las EPED, que puede someter a grandes presiones a la autoridad de competencia; 3) el precario sistema judicial, sobre el cual debe descansar la solución de los casos que rebasan el ámbito administrativo; 4) su situación social que puede requerir de excepciones en la aplicación de las leyes de competencia, y 5) la escasez de recursos humanos y financieros, en general, y en particular para apoyar la política de competencia. Considerando que las economías del Istmo Centroamericano están muy integradas a la economía internacional, que desarrollan actividades similares, al menos en algunos sectores, y que existen diversas situaciones en que las prácticas anticompetitivas responden a formas de actuar de grandes multinacionales, puede vislumbrarse un relevante potencial de apoyo recíproco que no se ha aprovechado para promover la competencia. The markets of the Central American Isthmus: what has happened to competition? Abstract: Competitive policies have had substantial importance on a global level, as well as on a sub regional level, specifically for the region of the Central American Isthmus and Mexico. This is due to the fact that the economic reforms implemented in a great number of countries the middle of the eighties such as the privatization of state owned public service companies, price deregulation, trade openness, and international capital flows, have failed to produce the expected results in terms of increasing the level of competition of the markets.In this sense, the existence of a legal and institutional framework was a key factor for guaranteeing appropriate behaviour by economic actors. In terms of this development, the countries of the sub region advanced with differing speeds, depending on the abilities they hold for establishing laws regulating competition and authorities for upholding these laws, as well as the level of resistance by the economic agents that participate in the market for endorsing these changes. In 2006, while El Salvador and Honduras enacted their first laws for regulating competition, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico were revising theirs, which had been applied a decade earlier, in order to improve on the weaknesses found. Although the principles of competition are of a universal character. Small Developing Economies (SDe's) will require specific criteria when undertaking this theme. Several aspects require a specific plan of action: 1) the lack of common knowledge within the societies regarding the logic of competition; 2) a concentration of economic and political power within the SDe's that may subjugate the great pressures competition puts on authority ; 3) the unstable judicial system, within which the solution for the complications of the administrative sphere may lie; 4) their social situation may require exceptions in terms of the implementation of the laws of competition , and 5) the scarcity of human and financial resources, in general and particularly for aiding competitive policies. Considering the fact that the economies of the Central American Isthmus are very integrated in the international economy, that they involve similar activities, at least within certain sectors, and the fact that diverse situations exist in terms of how anticompetitive practices respond to the actions of multinational companies, one may discern the existence of relevant potential for reciprocal aid, which has not yet been taken advantage of for promoting competition.

Suggested Citation

  • Rivera, Eugenio & Schatan, Claudia, 2006. "Los mercados en el Istmo Centroamericano y México: ¿qué ha pasado con la competencia?," Estudios y Perspectivas – Sede Subregional de la CEPAL en México 4962, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
  • Handle: RePEc:ecr:col031:4962
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    Cited by:

    1. Bowles, Paul & Moreno Brid, Juan Carlos, 2006. "The political economy of Mexico's dollarization debate," Estudios y Perspectivas – Sede Subregional de la CEPAL en México 4981, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    2. Petrecolla, Diego, 2007. "Best practices in defence of competition in Argentina and Brazil: useful aspects for Central America," Estudios y Perspectivas – Sede Subregional de la CEPAL en México 5006, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).

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