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# 28TH MEETING OF THE SUB COMMITTEE ON AUDIT AND BUDGETARY MATTERS
# COMESA COMPETITION COMMISSION
# 2025 WORK PROGRAMME AND PROPOSED BUDGET
I. INTRODUCTION
- The COMESA Competition Commission (the "Commission") submits its 2025 Work Programme and Draft Budget in accordance with Rule 8 "Preparation and Submission of Draft Regular and Operating Budgets" of the COMESA Competition Financial Rules (2023) (hereinafter referred to as the "Rules") to the 28th Sub-Committee on Audit and Budgetary Matters for consideration and recommendations for final approval by the Council of Ministers through the Administration and Inter-governmental Committee of the Council of Ministers.
Rule 8 provides that:
(1) The draft regular budget of the Commission shall be prepared by the Director.
(2) The Director shall submit the regular budget for the following financial year to the Council through the Subcommittee, the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary matters and the Intergovernmental Committee for approval.
- The Commission has two sources of funding:
a) The Regular Budget which the Rules define as the budget of the Commission funded by the contributions from the Member States; and
b) The Operating Budget which the Rules define as the budget of the Commission that is not funded by contributions from Member States;
- The Regular Budget for 2025 amounts to COM$1,247,835, and the Operating Budget, which will be funded by internal resources and Cooperating Partners, amounts to COM$6,207,764. The detailed budgets, which are presented at the activity level line with corresponding amounts, are attached in Annex I and Annex II.
FOCUS FOR 2025 Budget Year – The Commission will particularly focus on the following key areas:
Determination of Conduct Harmful to Competition and Enhancing the Welfare of Consumers in the Common Market
- The Commission's mandate is to promote and encourage competition by preventing restrictive business practices that deter the efficient operation of markets thereby enhancing the welfare of consumers in the Common Market and protecting consumers against offensive conduct by market actors. In this regard, the Commission shall focus on monitoring, investigating and assessing mergers with cross border effects, with a view to contributing towards inclusive and sustainable markets. Since mergers by their very nature may result in change in market structure and competition dynamics, it is important that they are reviewed by competition authorities so that the potential effects on competition can be assessed and appropriate remedies imposed where it results in potential anti-competitive conduct. The Commission will also monitor compliance to its decisions on mergers approved with conditions or remedies in the past years.
- The Commission shall also focus on uncovering mergers that are implemented without notification. To achieve this mandate, the Commission shall continue to work closely with National Competition Authorities under the framework of the already concluded and signed Memoranda of Understanding.
- The Commission will also assess anti-competitive conduct in the Common Market. These include restrictive agreements, abuse of dominance, and cartelistic behaviour