Egypt’s House of Representatives has given final approval to a new Competition Protection and Anti-Monopoly Law, marking a significant step in updating the country’s market regulations and strengthening oversight of economic activity.
The legislation, approved during a plenary session chaired by Speaker Hisham Badawi, aims to modernize the legal framework governing Egyptian markets in line with current economic developments. It is designed to promote fair competition, improve the investment climate, and address monopolistic practices that harm consumers and the national economy.
The original competition law, first introduced in 2005, has undergone several amendments over the past two decades. However, lawmakers stressed that evolving market dynamics now require a more comprehensive and effective framework capable of addressing modern forms of market dominance and regulating economic concentrations.
A key feature of the new law is granting full regulatory, technical, administrative, and financial independence to the Egyptian Competition Authority, ensuring it can operate without external influence while maintaining legal safeguards.
The legislation also introduces a more efficient enforcement mechanism by separating administrative financial penalties from criminal sanctions, allowing faster intervention to curb violations. It further strengthens penalties and grants the authority both pre- and post-transaction oversight powers.
Stricter controls are also imposed on mergers and acquisitions, particularly those that could limit competition or lead to harmful market dominance. The law establishes clear rules for reviewing economic concentrations to prevent distortions in the market.
Officials described the enhanced institutional independence of the competition authority as a constitutional necessity, aimed at ensuring market integrity, equal opportunities, and transparency across all sectors.
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