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Maxim Ermolovich proposed to promote proactive assessment function for state of competition in commodity markets
On October 23, Maxim Ermolovich, Minister in charge of Competition and Antitrust Regulation of the Eurasian Economic Commission, took part in the 10th Eurasian Antitrust Forum in Astana. In his speech, he outlined the key strategic objectives aimed at strengthening the common competitive space of the Eurasian Economic Union and harmonizing the EAEU antitrust regulation.
According to EEC Minister Maxim Ermolovich, in 2025 the Eurasian Economic Commission plans to conduct a sectoral analysis of the markets for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as marketplaces for signs of violations of antitrust laws in the Eurasian Economic Union.
"We have already identified 17 markets for individual products that we would like to scrutinize during 2025. In addition, three sectors of the Union's economy have been identified for sectoral analysis. Let me say that we plan to conduct a sectoral analysis of the markets most sensitive to the population. These are the pharmaceutical market, the perfume and cosmetics market and the digital trading platform market," the EEC Minister said.
Maxim Ermolovich stressed the importance of using the Commission as a centralized platform for disseminating the best antitrust practices. This is especially relevant for business entities registered outside the EAEU but having an impact on the markets of the Member States.
In addition, the EEC Minister touched upon the issue of improving antitrust enforcement procedures, emphasizing the need for closer cooperation between the authorized authorities of the EAEU Member States and the EAEU Court. The need to improve the efficiency of judicial procedures is a key factor in ensuring a stable and predictable legal environment for businesses in the EAEU.
Special attention was paid to improving the efficiency of EEC work on competition in cross-border markets. Maxim Ermolovich proposed to promote the proactive assessment function for the state of competition, especially in markets where anti-dumping measures are applied or where concentration is high. This will make it possible to identify potential threats to competition in a timely manner and take preventive measures.
As part of his speech, he announced that together with the authorized authorities of the EAEU Member States, a model methodology for assessing the state of competition in digital markets had been created, including the development of criteria for determining the market power of digital platforms and mechanisms for disclosing information on the activities of digital services. The importance of this area relies on the rapid development of digital technologies and an increasing role of platforms in the economy.
Concluding his speech, Maxim Ermolovich announced the international research-to-practice conference Digital Markets in the EAEU: Relevant Matters of Research, Antitrust Regulation and Legal Support, which will be held on November 20 this year. The organizers are the EEC Competition and Antitrust Regulation Unit and the Faculty of Law of the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. The conference is designed to bring together leading experts in the field of antitrust regulation, economists and lawyers to discuss the effectiveness and scientific validity of the implementation of general principles and rules of competition in today's digital economy.
