The Argentine government has formalised the first appointments to the newly created Autoridad Nacional de la Competencia (ANC), following the publication of Decree 810/2025, dated 14 November and released in the Boletín Oficial on 17 November 2025. The measure sets out the results of the public selection process required under Law 27.442, which created the ANC as a decentralised and autarkic body within the Executive Branch.
Legal and procedural background
The decree recalls that Law 27.442 established the ANC and defined its internal structure: the Tribunal de Defensa de la Competencia, the Secretaría de Instrucción de Conductas Anticompetitivas, and the Secretaría de Concentraciones Económicas. It also reiterates that members must be selected through a Public Competition of Backgrounds and Opposition, as set out in Articles 19 and 20 of the statute.
The document details each step of the contest:
- Resolution 93/2025 initiated the process and convened the jury.
- Resolution 119/2025 approved the call, profiles and registration period.
- Resolution 291/2025 approved the short-lists (ternas) for all senior posts after the required stages, including evaluation of CVs, technical assessments, interviews, and an institutional-management project.
- The Oficina Anticorrupción issued conflict-of-interest reports before the jury submitted the final shortlist to the Executive.
Interim appointments (“en comisión”)
While Senate approval is pending, Article 23 of the Law and its implementing regulation allow the Executive to appoint candidates in commission. The decree uses this mechanism to fill the ANC’s key positions:
- Eduardo Rodolfo Montamat – President of the Tribunal de Defensa de la Competencia.
- Lucas Gabriel Trevisani Vespa – Vocal (Member) of the Tribunal.
- Marcelo Rubén D’Amore – Vocal (Member) of the Tribunal.
- Ana Julia Parente – Secretary Instructor of Anticompetitive Conducts.
- Germán Augusto Zamorano – Secretary of Economic Concentrations.
These appointments will remain in force during the time required for the Senate to issue its formal agreement.
Legal constitution of the Authority
In line with Article 18 of Decree 480/18 (as amended), the ANC is considered legally constituted once its President, the first two Tribunal members, and both Secretaries have been appointed. At that point, the Authority is empowered to begin exercising its functions immediately. The decree notes explicitly that this threshold has now been met.
Institutional Transition
The ANC replaces the previous CNDC structure. The government emphasises that the new authority will be responsible for reviewing major corporate mergers and anticompetitive conduct, a role underscored by recent high-profile matters such as the proposed steered acquisition of Grupo Telefónica by Telecom S.A. and investigations into cartel-type conduct among private-health insurers
Political and institutional context
The reform comes amid a broader push by the Javier Milei administration to overhaul Argentina’s regulatory state. Competition policy is emerging as a key pillar in that agenda. Yet, institutional change is only the first step: actual resourcing, staffing, and enforcement capacity will determine whether the Authority fulfils its ambition of moving Argentina closer to international antitrust norms