Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has intensified its efforts to confront monopolistic practices and reinforce fair competition across Qatar’s markets, implementing strict regulatory, preventive, and enforcement measures to protect investors and consumers alike.

Assistant Director of the Competition Protection Department at the MoCI, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Thani said that the Ministry adopts a comprehensive approach to enforcing the Competition Protection Law, structured around several key pillars aimed at preventing market dominance and anti-competitive behaviour.

Speaking to Qatar TV recently, she explained that one of the Ministry’s primary measures is its regulatory oversight, through which it closely monitors economic policies and market dynamics to maintain balance and ensure equal opportunities for all investors.

“This oversight helps prevent any single entity from gaining unfair control over market activities or distorting competition. A second core measure lies in the strict assessment of mergers and acquisitions,” said Sheikha Jawaher.

She said that the Ministry carefully evaluates proposed corporate consolidations to ensure they do not weaken competition, restrict market entry, or lead to monopolistic structures that could harm consumers and smaller businesses. Sheikha Jawaher said that transactions that pose risks to market competition are subject to intervention or corrective actions.

She also highlighted the Ministry’s strong emphasis on inter-agency coordination, noting that the MoCI works in close cooperation with various government bodies to exchange data and align competition-related policies. This coordination strengthens enforcement mechanisms and enhances the effectiveness of actions taken against monopolistic practices. In addition, she said, the Ministry conducts investigations and inquiries whenever there are indications of violations of the Competition Protection Law. “These investigations target practices such as abuse of a dominant market position, including forcing suppliers to exclude competitors or imposing tied sales on customers. If violations are proven, the MoCI imposes legal penalties and sanctions in accordance with the law,” said Sheikha Jawaher.

She said that the Ministry also takes action against collusive practices, such as agreements between companies to fix prices, divide markets, or collectively raise prices at the expense of consumers.

Sheikha Jawaher reaffirmed that MoCI intervenes decisively in such cases to dismantle anti-competitive arrangements.

She said that monopolisation of markets in any form is unacceptable and will be met with strict measures, underscoring the MoCI’s commitment to fostering a transparent, competitive, and sustainable economic environment in Qatar.

The Competition Protection Department is responsible for enforcing laws and regulations related to protecting competition and preventing monopolistic and anti-competitive practices, ensuring markets operate fairly and transparently.

The department conducts market studies, research, and investigations into suspected anti-competitive practices, evaluates mergers and acquisitions and their impact on competition, and proposes corrective measures to limit monopolistic behaviour and strengthen fair competition.

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