International Relations
CCCS engages in international relations to promote competition and consumer protection, collaborating with foreign counterparts on regulatory best practices, technical assistance, and cross-border enforcement efforts.
Last updated 2 June 2025
1. What are some of CCCS’s engagements with its overseas counterparts?
CCCS manages competition and consumer protection developments at various international and regional platforms such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), International Competition Network (ICN), and International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN). Beyond these platforms, CCCS also engages and collaborates regularly with competition and consumer protection authorities on a bilateral basis. Through these platforms and engagements, CCCS stays at the forefront of international best practices while contributing to the global competition and consumer protection community.
2. What are some of the cooperation, technical assistance or capacity building activities that CCCS undertakes at the regional or international arena?
CCCS plays an active role in regional capacity building, particularly through the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) and ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) to promote cooperation and capacity building efforts in the region. Activities undertaken by CCCS include facilitating study visits and staff exchanges, sharing of enforcement experiences and best practices, as well as cooperating on cross-border cases, among others. CCCS has also assisted in developing publications and toolkits to support emerging competition and consumer protection authorities in ASEAN to address various issues.
CCCS regularly shares its experience at various capacity-building workshops organised by the AEGC and ACCP, and hosts international and regional events to promote international best practices on competition law enforcement and consumer protection. Staff from other ASEAN Member States have also been attached to CCCS to build up competencies of officials in the region.
3. What role does competition and consumer protection play in respect of the ASEAN Economic Community?
The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint acknowledges the importance of competition policy and law and consumer protection in promoting economic development and integration. Singapore plays an active role by working with other ASEAN Members States to help advance the development and enforcement of sound competition and consumer protection policies, as well as best practices for the region.
4. How many Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) does the CCCS have?
CCCS has signed MOUs with five other competition authorities, which are:
Japan Fair Trade Commission
Indonesia Competition Commission
Competition Bureau Canada
Philippine Competition Commission
State Administration for Market Regulation of The People’s Republic of China
These MOUs provide CCCS with a framework to cooperate with other competition agencies on competition law enforcement and to engage in various technical cooperation and experience sharing with its partners.
5. Where can I get more information about competition and consumer protection developments in other ASEAN member countries?
You may refer to the web portal of the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) at https://www.asean-competition.org/ and the web portal of the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP) at https://aseanconsumer.org/
Various informative publications and collaterals developed by the AEGC and ACCP may also be accessed at CCCS's website.
6. What can I do if I encounter anti-competitive practices when I venture into overseas markets or expand my business abroad?
You may approach the relevant competition authority in the overseas jurisdiction for direct assistance. As competition law may involve technical and legal concepts, it may also be useful to seek independent legal advice in relation to your company's specific situation.
You may also consider approaching CCCS to discuss the matter. While CCCS is unable to offer dedicated legal advice, we may be able to assist by referring you to the relevant overseas authority.
7. How can competition law help me to venture or expand my business abroad?
Competition law helps to create a more level playing field for companies venturing overseas by prohibiting certain anti-competitive conduct. For example, a company may find it hard to go into a market or expand its business because existing market players may be trying to use their dominant position to restrict customers from buying from new players or engage in predatory pricing to force new entrants out of the market. Competition law can assist by allowing companies to seek recourse against such behaviour through official powers vested in an authority to pursue legal enforcement against anticompetitive conduct.