OREANDA-NEWS. March 09, 2010. A delegation of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) took part in a session of the Steering Group of the International Competition Network (ICN) in Paris, France, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The Chairman of the ICN Steering Group outlined priority areas and coordination of the Committee work along activities of ICN Working Groups.

At the session members of the Steering Group discussed the following issues:

- development of a project under which ICN will prepare educational materials about the principles and employment of competition policy, which would be directly accessible for all antimonopoly authorities - members of ICN;

- development and implementation of a distance learning system for training officers of competition authorities and advancing their qualification, which would enable getting answers to various questions regarding law enforcement in the on-line regime;

- quality control over the activities of ICN Working Groups.

The ICN Vice-Chairman responsible for international co-operation presented information about prospective projects with other international organizations.

In view of the forthcoming 9th Annual ICN Conference on 26-29th April 2010 in Istanbul, representatives of the Turkish competition authority informed how they were preparing the event.
A fully-fledged ICN membership allows FAS Russia to timely follow up the latest trends in developing completion policy and enforcement in the world and advocate the interests of Russia and the CIS in the International Competition Network. Active involvement of FAS Russia in some ICN Working Groups means that the position of the Russian competition authority is taken into account in framing recommendations and best practices.

Reference:
Active involvement of FAS Russia in ICN work was accorded wide recognition by the members of this international organization. At the 8th Annual ICN Conference in Zurich, on 2-5th June 2009, FAS Russia was elected a member of the ICN Steering Group for 2009-2011, also comprising 15 leading antimonopoly authorities of such countries as Australia, Italy, Brazil, Germany, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the U.K., South Africa, the USA (2 agencies), as well as the Directorate General on Competition of the European Commission. Participation in the Steering Group has robustly increased the status and standing of FAS Russia in the international competition community. As a member of the Steering Group, FAS Russia can more effectively advocate its position and positions of the CIS countries on the issues of competition across the globe and actively interact with the executive officers of competition authorities from other countries within the framework of the Steering Group.