ProCompetencia and Codopyme sign alliance to improve the competitiveness of SMEs

In order to ensure that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises compete on equal terms, the National Competition Defense Commission (ProCompetencia) and the Dominican Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Codopyme) formalized an inter-institutional cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the culture of commercial loyalty and transparency in the Dominican market.

The agreement, which has an initial term of four years, was signed by the president of the Board of Directors of ProCompetencia, María Elena Vásquez Taveras, and the president of Codopyme, Fernando Pinales, with the presence of authorities, members of the Board of Directors and collaborators from both institutions, and aims to guarantee free and fair competition so that small businesses operate on an equal footing. An economic engine that demands clear rules During his intervention, Vásquez Taveras highlighted the structural weight of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which represent 98% of the country’s economic units, generate more than 60% of employment and contribute 32% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “Freedom of enterprise is not exhausted by the right to undertake; it demands open markets and fair competition conditions that allow SMEs to develop and grow without artificial barriers,” said Vásquez. Vásquez Taveras also referred to international reports to recall that weak competition hinders innovation and increases prices, while robust competition drives productivity and improves wages. For his part, Fernando Pinales emphasized that SMEs represent more than 98% of the country’s productive fabric, being the main engine of employment and local innovation, and warned that this sector is the most vulnerable to unfair practices and barriers to access. “For Codopyme, this agreement represents a firm step towards an economic environment where regulatory compliance is not a burden, but a tool for growth and credibility,” said Pinales.

Strategic Axes of the Agreement

The agreement is a strategic roadmap that establishes permanent coordination mechanisms to raise the standards of Dominican entrepreneurship through specialized training with the realization of courses, diplomas and workshops on the rights and duties of companies in the market. It also contemplates a permanent working table with the creation of an inter-institutional unit of four members for the follow-up, monitoring, and evaluation of the established objectives. Likewise, technical assistance and exchange through collaboration in research processes and reciprocity in technical and academic information; and prevention of anti-competitive practices with the articulation of efforts to avoid distortions that especially affect small producers.

A public-private cooperation model

Both institutions agreed that this agreement does not involve the transfer of economic resources, underlining its nature of voluntary technical cooperation. With this signature, an action protocol is established that guarantees the autonomy of the parties while working towards a common goal: a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable market for the Dominican Republic.