Here’s an interesting bit of news from Africa. As per a well known Blog on African Competition Law, the Swaziland Competition Commission has all but shuttered it’s doors since the formation of C.O.M.E.S.A.

For the uninitiated, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (C.O.M.E.S.A.) is a Free Trade Agreement/Free Trade Area similar to the Schengen Area/Schengen Agreement in Europe. It comprises of twenty Member States and is considered one of the pillars of the African Economic Community. The COMESA Competition Commission was formed under Article 6 of the Regulations and is based in Lilongwe, Malawi and commenced work on 14th January, 2013.

According to the post, since the creation of its competition-law authority in 2007, C.O.M.E.S.A. member state Swaziland has seen only two enforcement matters, according to a report by the Observer.  Even by C.O.M.E.S.A.’s statistical standards, two matters in seven years amounts to a record low.

This is the first time I have ever heard of a State Competition Authority being over board by a Multi-State Organisation. European Member States are in fact quite particular about asserting their individual sovereignty under the T.F.E.U. (E.U. Community Law is applicable only when trade between the E.U. Member States is affected.)