In the middle of price debate and promotions, through Resolution 92/2024 the Government relaunched a program that had been widely used in the Government of Alberto Fernandez called COFECI (Federal Council of Internal Trade) whose purpose is “the analysis and information exchange among its members, as well as the promotion and cooperation for the development of public policies related to the matter of internal trade.”
COFECI was created within the scope of the Undersecretary of Actions for the Defense of Consumers of the Ministry of Commerce, which in turn depends on the Ministry of Economy of the Nation. In addition to being made up of the head of the aforementioned undersecretary, it will have the participation of “the Enforcement Authorities of the rules related to the regulation of internal trade of the Provincial Governments and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, to the extent that they adhere to it, through the issuance of the pertinent administrative acts.
“The integration as a full member of the Federal Council of Internal Trade must be carried out by each jurisdiction, in accordance with their respective legal procedural regulations and based on the issuance of the respective administrative act or document,” the Government stated.
COFECI: what are its functions
a) Arrange policies between national and local jurisdictions in matters of commercial loyalty, unfair competition, advertising, legal metrology and their respective inspections.
b) Tend to homogenization of criteria regarding the application of public policies related to internal trade, including proposals for modification and/or harmonization of current regulations on the matter.
c) Exchange information with the productive sectors in order to promote greater efficiency in the production and marketing of goods and services.
d) Collect information from public and private entities related to domestic trade.
e) Promote the exchange of information, experiences, consultations and collaboration to carry out actions regarding regulation, supervision and control in matters of internal trade.
It is further clarified that “andn no case the tasks or decisions of the Federal Council for Internal Trade may involve interference in the internal affairs of a political or economic nature of each jurisdiction.”.
COFECI: what were the Government’s reasons for relaunching it
According to the resolution issued by the Secretary of Commerce Pablo Agustín Lavigne, It is stated that it is a “primary function” of the Undersecretary of Actions for the Defense of Consumers.intervene in the design and implementation of federal policies linked to consumer protection, commercial loyalty, legal metrology and internal trade.”
“In order to strengthen an advisory space, analysis, exchange, promotion and cooperation For the development of public policies related to internal trade, differentiating internal trade and foreign trade policies, it is considered pertinent and necessary to restore the Federal Council of Internal Trade (COFECI), strengthening the coordination through better exercise of interjurisdictional relations and enabling efficient federal planning regarding the different national and/or regional problems related to the matter of internal trade,” argued the Executive Branch.
Source: Ambito
