Dominican business groups seek 24-month extension for corporate criminal liability

Business groups in the Dominican Republic, including the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) and the Dominican Association of Security Companies (Adesinc), are advocating for an extension of the implementation period for corporate criminal liability. A legislative proposal submitted to the Senate by Senator Rafael Barón Duluc Rijo seeks to expand the grace period to 24 months for the enforcement of articles 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the Penal Code (Law No. 44-26).

ANJE argues that the current three-month deadline, set to expire on November 5, is insufficient for companies to meet new compliance standards and absorb associated costs. The association emphasized that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) specifically require differentiated and proportional regulations.

Boris De León Reyes, president of ANJE, called for the development of training programs and compliance models by the justice system and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs. The group urged the National Congress to prioritize this initiative to ensure legal certainty and an orderly implementation of the new regime.