OREANDA-NEWS. March 25, 2011. FAS experts took part in the Round Table “Russia’s Steps to OECD” organised as part of the international conference “Russia and the World: In Search of an Innovative Strategy” (Moscow), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreing Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development, OECD Secretariat, representatives of the embassies of the states – OECD members and other interested persons also took part in the Round Table.

Participants discussed the specifics of the procedure for the Russian Federation ascending OECD (the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). Anna Mironichenko, Deputy Head of the FAS Russia’s Department for International Economic Cooperation, talked about practical results of cooperation between Russian antimonopoly authority and OECD. In particular, she discussed amendments to the antimonopoly law prepared with reference to OECD experience. Adjusting Russian legislation in line with OECD principles is one of the conditions for Russia’s joining OECD.

Russian antimonopoly authority has already been interacting with OECD for 20 years. FAS Russia was the first among federal executive bodies to go through the procedures of the initial round of Review of competition policy in Russia by OECD Competition Committee within the framework of Russia’s accession to this international organization.

“In October 2009, the Committee gave a comprehensive consideration to development of competition policy in Russia. It is planned that preparation and consideration of the second round of the Review will be completed in October 2011, which was confirmed by official OECD representatives last week in course of negotiations at FAS Russia”, said Deputy Head of FAS Russia Andrey Tsyganov.

As stated by a representative of OECD Secretariat: “FAS Russia is an advanced competition authority in the process of accession. We think that all Russian agencies should follow the active position taken by FAS Russia in its efforts towards this direction”.

“Russia’s membership in OECD is not a guarantee that our economy will become much stronger, but it is a compass, a certain vector directing to the benchmark experience of other countries accumulated by OECD and this experience will help us improve economic and social trends and the environment in Russia”, commented Sergey Ponomarev, the Head of the Moscow Office of OECD.