Singapore’s competition watchdog unveils new measures to speed up investigation resolution

[SINGAPORE] Singapore’s competition watchdog on Friday (Jun 19) unveiled new so-called “Fast Track Procedure” guidelines for businesses to resolve investigations more efficiently.

These guidelines follow the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore’s (CCS) review of its Practice Statement on the Fast Track Procedure. They will go into effect from Jul 1.

The revised procedure “facilitates the resolution of investigations into infringements of Sections 34 or 47 of the Competition Act, benefiting both businesses and CCS administratively”, the statutory board said.

“For businesses, it not only reduces business costs, but also provides a clear and expedient path to closure,” it added. This allows them to “reduce operational uncertainty and management time needed to address CCS’ findings”.

Application and approval processes have been “streamlined” under the new guidelines, which also introduce a larger discount of up to 30 per cent for businesses that resolve infringements under the Fast Track Procedure.

The discount will be revoked for any company that lodges an appeal, “including against the financial penalty it had agreed to”, CCS said.

“This is because the discount is premised on, among other things, procedural efficiencies and resource savings, which would be significantly diminished or fail to materialise if an appeal was lodged.”

It added that participating in the Fast Track Procedure will entail businesses agreeing to the proposed financial penalty decided by the watchdog.

Clearer guidance on the submissions that businesses may make on the watchdog’s proposed infringement decisions will be provided.

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CCS said that businesses looking to make more extensive submissions have the option of reverting to the non-Fast Track investigatory procedure.

The Fast Track Procedure Guidelines incorporated stakeholder feedback and regulatory developments from other jurisdictions, added the statutory board. This feedback was received during a public consultation held between Oct 27 and Nov 17, 2025.