The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) hosted a Breakfast Meeting with members of the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) at the Inter-Continental Hotel.

The engagement was a preparedness meeting for manufacturers as they expand into COMESA and the wide African Market under the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA) as competition compliance is no longer confined to the National borders.

Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Executive Director, Mrs. Eunice Phiri Hamavhwa, Mr. Patrick Chengo Director Restrictive Business Practices said that CCPC recognizes that whereas some manufacturers who are exporters, remain compliant with the Zambian law, they may unknowingly get exposed to regional competition risks arising from COMESA Regulations and the AfCFTA Competition Protocol on competition or continental and regional.

He noted that these regimes introduce obligations, sanctions, and enforcement powers that operate alongside the national law.

The breakfast meeting therefore provided an opportunity to openly discuss what the regional rules mean in practice, the key dos and don’ts for the manufacturers and wider businesses that export, and how regulators and business should work together to promote fair, competitive, and predictable regional markets.