News

06.09.2022 (Обновлено: 14.09.2022 12:38)

Price stability and proactive competition were the central topic at the meeting of the heads of antitrust agencies

Improving the effectiveness of antitrust regulation, changes in competition law and their consequences were discussed in Minsk in the 5+1 format by the heads of antitrust agencies of the Eurasian Economic Union countries and Arman Shakkaliev, Minister in charge of Competition and Antitrust Regulation of the Eurasian Economic Commission. The meeting was held at the venue of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange. As is already a tradition, the meeting was attended by representatives of the antitrust agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, an EAEU observer state.

The participants considered the latest changes in the antitrust law of the Union countries aimed at business development including demonopolization and deregulation of competitive economy sectors, improving state procurement legislation and digitalization of antitrust regulation.

"Innovations in the antitrust law of the EAEU states are of mutual interest to us. Such platforms as today's 5+1 meeting not only help us exchange opinions and coordinate our positions, what is most important ­that allows us to develop and introduce effective antitrust legislation in the Union's countries and on the supranational level, which is on par with the global best practices," ­noted Arman Shakkaliev during the meeting.
One of the important topics was the need to maintain price stability in the EAEU countries. The participants discussed the draft report Maintaining Price Stability in the Eurasian Economic Union Member States in 2020–2022 that was prepared by the Commission's Competition Unit in conjunction with antitrust authorities of the EAEU states. The report is the result of agreement reached by participants of the previous 5+1 meeting held in May this year.

The document contains a review of measures and instruments adopted by Member States in 2020–2022 and demonstrates the role of the Eurasian Economic Commission in that process. The document will soon be submitted to the EEC Board for consideration.

"The report is a review of the states' common approaches to price regulation, especially in socially important markets, to ensure availability of medicines, foodstuffs and essential commodities at fair prices," commented the EEC Minister on the document.