Por: Lenin Cocar – Economista del Área de Prácticas Anticompetitivas de la Intendencia de Investigaciones
de la Superintendencia de Competencia de El Salvador.
@Lenin_Cp
La Ley de Competencia (LC) en El Salvador reconoce como prácticas anticompetitivas los acuerdos entre competidores tipificados en su art. 25, los cuales, en lo principal, están referidos a los acuerdos de fijación de precios u otras condiciones de compra o venta; acuerdos de fijación o limitación de cantidades de producción; la colusión en licitaciones públicas o privadas; y, los repartos de mercado por distintos medios. Todos estos, se suponen realizables por agentes económicos que participan en un mismo eslabón de la cadena de valor de una industria específica y, por lo tanto, competidores entre sí. Asimismo, la LC también identifica en su art. 2 quiénes son sujetos a las disposiciones de dicho cuerpo normativo, haciendo una consideración amplia sobre los agentes económicos.
Por otra parte, en cuanto a las asociaciones empresariales o asociaciones de agentes económicos, vale precisar, que estas pueden servir a muchos propósitos legítimos o provechosos para sus miembros y hasta pro competitivos, ya que, en ciertos casos, permiten resolver problemas de interés común de forma agrupada, propician la discusión de temas relevantes en las industrias a las que pertenecen sus miembros, promueven el desarrollo y transferencia de conocimientos técnicos y especializados, promueven la incorporación de mejoras en procesos productivos, tienen la representación de los intereses de sus miembros ante diversas instancias, promueven mecanismos de capacitación y apoyo a los miembros de la industria y consumidores, proporcionan información relevante a instituciones públicas, entre muchos otros que pudieran identificarse. Sin embargo, dichas asociaciones también son instancias en las que los riesgos de colusión suelen ser elevados dada la interacción repetida y el intercambio de información que se presenta en su interior.
Ahora bien, aunque en el título del artículo se plantea el término “asociaciones empresariales”, es pertinente mencionar que estas pueden estar referidas -como son entendidas en diversas jurisdicciones al analizar casos de derecho de competencia- a asociaciones de empresas, asociaciones de profesionales, asociaciones gremiales, asociaciones comerciales, cámaras, profesionistas, ligas, entre otras -por lo que, en adelante, se hará referencia a ellas, solamente como “asociaciones”-. En este sentido, el propósito de este artículo es mostrar que las “asociaciones” -independientemente de la forma jurídica que adopten- pueden constituirse, en algunos casos, en elementos facilitadores para la adopción de acuerdos anticompetitivos entre competidores; y no se pretende con este, ahondar en una discusión sobre la naturaleza o funciones de cada tipo de asociación.
En este contexto, corresponde ahora mencionar cuáles elementos podrían contribuir a ese ambiente en el que pueda gestarse un acuerdo anticompetitivo entre competidores que sean miembros de una misma “asociación”. De esta forma, mucho del debate en torno a esta temática ha girado respecto de las decisiones y las recomendaciones emanadas de una “asociación”, principalmente, en cuanto al nivel de obligatoriedad y participación que tendrían sus miembros en el cumplimiento de las mismas. Sin embargo, en los casos de prácticas anticompetitivas, los acuerdos, las regulaciones, las recomendaciones y las decisiones de “asociaciones” son tratados por la doctrina y el derecho comparado como equiparables al concepto de acuerdo entre competidores.
Lo anterior, debido a que tales acciones permiten una coordinación del comportamiento de los miembros de la “asociación”, limitando su accionar y la toma de decisiones independientes, por ejemplo, si al interior de esta se decidiera fijar los precios de los bienes o servicios, o establecer condiciones comerciales para los productos ofrecidos por los asociados. En este sentido, los riesgos para la competencia se vuelven mayores cuando las “asociaciones” comienzan a desnaturalizar sus fines, propiciando comportamientos anticompetitivos que lleven a coordinar el accionar de sus miembros en el mercado y eliminar la rivalidad entre competidores.
En suma, puede verse que en ciertos casos las asociaciones pueden propiciar y volverse un medio para tomar acuerdos anticompetitivos, o para sugerir, aconsejar, apadrinar, orquestar, impulsar, defender, encubrir, justificar o ejecutar este tipo de conductas anticompetitivas; las cuales, surgen principalmente de las interacciones repetidas y de los intercambios de información -mientras más sensible sea la información, mayor será el riesgo-.
Por otra parte, regresando al marco normativo nacional, se identifica en el art. 12 del Reglamento de la Ley de Competencia (RLC), un listado de criterios orientadores para la valoración de la existencia de acuerdos anticompetitivos entre competidores, entre los que se advierte que algunos de ellos estarían relacionados con la temática tratada en este artículo, a saber: “(…) f) Que los presuntos infractores hayan sostenido reuniones y/u otras formas de comunicación; g) Que hubiesen instrucciones o recomendaciones de las cámaras empresariales o asociaciones a sus agremiados, que pudieren tener el objeto o efecto de impedir, restringir o limitar el que sus miembros puedan actuar libremente en el mercado”. Al respecto, es de remarcar que esto no se plantea como un elemento determinante -por sí solo- para concluir respecto de la existencia de este tipo de acuerdos, sino, como un criterio orientador que, en conjunto con ciertos elementos probatorios, llevaría al pleno convencimiento de su existencia.
A manera de ejemplo puede mencionarse algunos precedentes en los que el Consejo Directivo (CD) de la Superintendencia de Competencia (SC) ha emitido su postura en temas relacionados con las “asociaciones”, como son los casos de prácticas anticompetitivas en los “puestos de bolsa” y “agencias de viajes” , y en las resoluciones de opiniones de los casos SC-036-OP/PN/R-2010 y SC-039-S/PN/R-2013 . Asimismo, el caso más reciente en el que el CD de la SC ha desarrollado abundantemente este tema es el caso referencia SC-031-O/PI/NR-2015 en el que se investigó y sancionó a 12 beneficios de arroz -todos, miembros de una misma asociación- por un acuerdo de fijación de precios, y en el que se consideró que la asociación fue un elemento facilitador para la adopción de las conductas comprobadas, fundamentándose en lo principal, en los elementos evidenciados en sus actas de junta directiva y de asamblea general de asociados y en las distintas acciones ejecutadas por la asociación que posibilitaron la coordinación de sus miembros.
Finalmente, es preciso hacer notar que las “asociaciones” -y sus miembros- deben tener especial cautela para que, en su interior no se discuta, sugiera, fije, avale o recomiende aspectos relacionados con variables estratégicas de comportamiento en el mercado, como pueden ser precios, descuentos, condiciones comerciales, costos de producción, entre otros; que de alguna forma limiten o restrinjan la competencia o impidan el acceso al mercado a cualquier agente económico. En tal sentido, si algún agente económico miembro de una asociación identifica que se está adoptando una conducta anticompetitiva o se le está imponiendo alguna decisión que lleva a la coordinación anticompetitiva de los asociados, debe hacerlo del conocimiento de la autoridad de competencia y manifestar su distanciamiento ante tales posturas.
Caso referencia SC-001-O/PA/R-2007 en el que se utilizaron los criterios orientadores previstos en el artículo 12, letras f) y g) del RLC.
Caso referencia SC-001-O/PA/NR-2009 en el que se abordó el tema de la participación en gremiales empresariales.
Expediente relativo a opinión sobre los estatutos de la Asociación de Distribuidores de El Salvador.
Expediente relativo a opinión sobre el art. 4 del proyecto de estatutos de la Asociación de Puestos de Bolsa de Productos y Servicios de El Salvador.
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