• Council of Ministers approves decree to restructure DR Congo’s Competition Commission.
  

• The decree drastically redefines the status, organization, and missions of the Congolese competition watchdog.
  

 Last week, the Congolese Council of Ministers approved a restructuring decree of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Competition Commission, the COMCO. The document was greenlit on July 4, on the sidelines of the Commission’s 50th ordinary meeting.

The decree was presented by the Minister of National Economy, Daniel Mukoko Samba. Its restructuring provides legal jurisdiction and financial and administrative autonomy to the COMCO, thus bolstering the entity’s core role in the economic regulatory system.

Positioned under the Ministry of National Economy, the COMCO is an independent public authority, primarily tasked with ensuring compliance with competition rules, price transparency, and consumer protection.

Following its restructuring, the COMCO now has five major sub-bodies: a National Coordination, a Technical Council, a College of Analysts, a Corps of Investigators, and auxiliary staff.

The restructuring, authorities expect, will boost the regulator’s responsiveness and expertise, especially in dealing with sensitive issues linked to strategic sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and imported food products.

The decree also outlines the funding sources for the COMCO, including government allocations. The institution can also benefit from external technical and financial aid, as well as revenue generated from its own activities, such as consulting fees or fines imposed on violators.