In 2025, the ASEAN Competition Action Plan 2026-2030 (ACAP 2030) was developed to guide the work of the AEGC towards achieving a competitive, innovative, and dynamic ASEAN with an effective and progressive competition policy. The ACAP 2030 continues the success of its predecessor, ACAP 2016 – 2025, which set up the fundamentals of competition policy and law development in the region.
The ACAP 2030 contains the following four strategic measures which correspond to the strategic measures under the AEC Blueprint 2030:
- Strategic Measure 1: Strengthen National Competition Regimes
- Strategic Measure 2: Advance Regional Cooperation for Effective Enforcement and Convergence of Competition Law and Policy
- Strategic Measure 3: Cultivate a Competition Culture in the Region
- Strategic Measure 4: Promote fair markets in ASEAN for Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Growth
Strong national competition regimes are critical to supporting fair competition in ASEAN. This strategic measure underscores our commitment to strengthen the effectiveness of national competition regimes as well as the capabilities of competition authorities in ASEAN Member States. Through technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and the development of robust competition policies and guidelines, the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) aims to establish effective competition regimes and competition authorities in ASEAN. This supports our overarching objective by promoting development and enforcement of competition frameworks within each ASEAN Member State, ensuring that application of competition policy and law in various ASEAN Member States are carried out in a consistent way and in line with best practices, thereby fostering fair competition in ASEAN.
This strategic measure recognises how markets in ASEAN are increasingly integrated markets and highlights our commitment to engage in mutually beneficial cooperation among ASEAN Member States. Given the deeper integration of markets, more collaborative and coordinated action is essential to implement fair competition principles in the region. The AEGC aims to enhance the detection and enforcement of cross-border anti-competitive practices by putting in place various information-sharing mechanisms and engaging in closer collaboration and coordination among competition authorities in ASEAN. Through various cross-border cooperation initiatives and the development of common approaches and practices, this measure aims to create greater alignment across competition regimes in the region. This will ultimately support our overarching objective of creating fair competition in ASEAN.
This strategic measure is dedicated to promoting a robust competition culture in ASEAN as a foundation for fair market competition in the long-term, and covers the full spectrum of measures, beyond enforcement, which governments can adopt to enhance competition in markets. Through various advocacy and outreach initiatives, ASEAN Member States will reach out to multiple stakeholders including businesses (particularly MSMEs), consumers, the judiciary, sector regulators, as well as other regulatory bodies to foster greater awareness of the benefits of fair competition and the negative effects of anti-competitive behaviour. It will also be essential to understand and address potential jurisdictional overlap or gaps between competition regulators and sector regulators with a competition mandate, and to align policies across different government agencies. Creating a culture of fair competition in the region will support our overarching objective of achieving a level playing field for businesses in ASEAN.
This strategic measure highlights ASEAN’s proactive approach to identifying and responding to evolving market dynamics, technological advancements, and regulatory challenges which can potentially impact competition law and enforcement. With rapid technological advancement, competition authorities in ASEAN have to adapt to new and emerging developments quickly in order to stay relevant and effective. Artificial intelligence, sustainability, renewable and alternative energy, big data, digital markets, labour contracts and gender considerations are several key developments that competition authorities are currently grappling with. Anticipating and addressing these and other emerging issues is essential. By ensuring the continued relevance and effectiveness of competition law enforcement in ASEAN, this measure supports our objective to achieving fair and inclusive competition in the region.
