OREANDA-NEWS. August 03, 2011. FAS Russia delegation led by Deputy Head of FAS Anatoly Golomolzin took part in the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The Intergovernmental Group of Experts held consultations executing the Resolution (Clause 8) of 6th UN Conference to Review All Aspects of the Set of Mutually Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices. The Intergovernmental Group of Experts paid special attention to the practical issues and importance of exchanging experience between developed and developing countries.

The session agenda included:

а) Foundations of an effective competition policy;

b) Consultations on the Model Law on Competition;

c) The importance of coherence between competition policies and government policies;

d) Peer review of Serbian competition Law and Policy;

e) Review of the experience gained so far in enforcement cooperation, including at the regional level.

Participants acknowledged non-diminishing importance of informational and educational efforts for developing the culture of competition among interested parties. Experts who took part in the discussion repeatedly emphasised importance of economic analysis for the cases on competition, which is essential to ensure effective enforcement of the law on competition. Relations between competition policy and other types of government policies pay special role in advancing economic development. Experts also repeatedly stressed the need to strengthen international cooperation in these fields, particularly, in the interests of developing countries.

Representatives of both developed and developing countries made clear and rather rigorous statements regarding importance of strengthening competition policy and correlating it with other forms of government policy in light of ongoing economic and policial cires. For instance, a representative of Morocco competition authority pointed out that in response to the slogans of mass political demonstrations, Morocco adopted amendments to its Constitution to make free competition a fundamental principle.

A representative of Portuguese competition authority said that majority of the obligations included in the Memorandum of Understanding between Portugal and the World Bank, the European Commission and the European Central Bank (similar documents are signed by Greece and Ireland) relate to development of conditions for fair competition and tightening antimonopoly control. Such measures cover a wide range of industries (telecommunications, power industry, financial sector, etc.), introduction of modern law standards and best antimonopoly enforcement practices, improving the work of judiciary, changing procedural norms of decision-making and the like.

Summing up its work, the Intergovernmental Group of Experts approved the report to be submitted to the UN Trade and Development Commission for consideration.