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EEC and Uzbekistan exchanged experience in antitrust regulation of digital markets
Maksim Ermolovich, Minister in charge of Competition and Antitrust Regulation of the Eurasian Economic Commission, chaired a seminar-consultation via videoconferencing dedicated to the formation of general approaches used in studying digital markets and electronic platforms activities. The event presented the experience of the Republic of Uzbekistan as the Observer State at the Eurasian Economic Union.
Maksim Ermolovich noted that the Commission's Competition and Antitrust Regulation Unit organized a series of meetings in 2024 to discuss antitrust regulation of digital markets and to study the experience of all the EAEU States.
According to the EEC Minister, the Commission actively interacts with the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the country's experience in the field of competition and digitalization is of significant interest to the Union.
Farrukh Karabaev, Deputy Chairman of the Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, made a presentation on the new legal framework for antitrust regulation of digital platforms. The presentation covered in detail the types of digital platforms, criteria for determining their dominant position and relevant requirements and prohibitions, and the results of a preliminary analysis of electronic trading platforms conducted in Uzbekistan. Farrukh Karabaev paid special attention to antitrust compliance and digitalization of antitrust regulation.
The sides agreed to conduct joint work in the format of consultations on developing universal criteria for establishing market power and mechanisms for assessing the performance of digital platforms in general. Besides, it is planned to conduct joint trainings and cross retraining of employees to develop additional competencies in the digital sphere.
Following the consultations, as well as given the additional analysis of studies, legislation and law enforcement practice of the EAEU States and the Republic of Uzbekistan as the Observer State at the EAEU, the Commission will prepare a report and recommendations.
As Maksim Ermolovich emphasized, “we will try to work together with the countries to elaborate harmonized approaches to regulating the EAEU digital markets”.
The seminar-consultation was attended by representatives of the Competition Protection Commission of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of the Republic of Belarus, the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Antitrust Regulation Service under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Federal Antimonopoly Service.
A comprehensive discussion of the work in this field will be continued during the international scientific and practical conference “Digital Markets in the EAEU: Relevant Matters of Research, Antitrust Regulation and Legal Support” scheduled for November 20 this year, organized by the EEC and the Faculty of Law of the Lomonosov Moscow State University.
