No discrimination between foreign and domestic in cement industry
Competition Board President Mustafa Parlak has spoken about Turkey’s cement industry, saying that there are no differences between foreign and domestic investors in terms of their rights and liabilities in terms of competition.
He said new entries to the cement industry will have no negative effect on the established competition structure of the market, and in particular will not weaken domestic producers, in his evaluation yesterday of recent foreign investments in the cement industry.
Parlak recalled that the cement industry has suffered much from many difficulties stemming from unfair competition in the past, but today all such hurdles are no longer an issue to consider seriously. "This sector has undergone a great deal of inspection. But at the current point the sector knows the competition law and all the necessary norms about pure and flawless competition. We no longer see any shortfall or discomfort," Parlak said.
The board has been closely and fully monitoring the cement industry regarding its production, sale, exports, costs and prices, Parlak added, noting that the board is well prepared to intervene immediately if necessary. He defined claims that incoming foreign investors in the cement industry are spoiling the competition structure as "speculation," adding: "Looking at the speculation among people, without evaluating or analyzing the real situation in depth, it wouldn’t be right to claim a breach of competition [rules]. We see no difference between the entry of a foreign or domestic company into the market. If a company that is already operating in the market buys one of its rivals out, then a situation opposing competition may arise." Published under Cement News
