Competition institutions are essential to the effective functioning of market economies. The CSME is a regional market economy comprising Member States’ national markets and enterprises of varying sizes and competitive strengths. The healthy but vigorous and balanced development of Member States participating in the CSME requires that appropriate policies and regulations must be contained in the mosaic of measures which will ensure that competitive sectors and industries develop; that benefits are spread among the Member States and that consumers enjoy a fair share of economic progress. To ensure that this happens, the Community has recognised the need for the introduction of competition policy and law and their effective enforcement. This enforcement is necessary to protect competition generally, but more specifically, to ensure that the benefits of establishing the CSME are not undermined by anti-competitive conduct. Rules of Competition have since been established.

The CARICOM Competition Commission (the Commission) was established in accordance with the Revised Treaty Establishing the Caribbean Community Including the CSME (the Revised Treaty) to ensure that fair competition prevails within the CSME.