OREANDA-NEWS. September 11, 2014. An international event – “Competition Day in Russia” included a workshop on “Introducing the Competition Development Standard in the Subjects of the Russian Federation: Problems and Prospects”.

Attendees included the Head of FAS Department for Fiscal Control Department, Vladimir Mishelovin, and his Deputy, Elena Rybachenko; Alexander Slesaryev, a project leader of the Corporate Department of “Strategic Initiatives Agency”; the minister for economic development of the Ulyanovsk region, Oleg Asmus; the Head of Nizhniy Novgorod OFAS, Mikhail Teodorovich; a representative of the Ministry for Developing the Far East, Mikhail Radenko; as well as representatives of the authorities of pilot subjects, particularly, St Petersburg Committee for developing entrepreneurship and consumer market, and the subjects of the Russian Federation that are introducing the Standard upon their initiatives, representatives of non-government organizations: “OPORA Russia” and “Business Russia”, members of FAS Competition Council: Sergey Borisov, Pyotr Shelisch, Dmitry Yanin; and a professor of the Siberian branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Irina Knyazeva.

Oleg Asmus talked about the first results and explained that priority actions of the pilot regions in this field were to form the list of priority and socially important markets, implementing the Road Map and monitor the state and development of competition environment on the market of goods and services of a constituent territory of the Russian Federation.

Mikhail Teodorovich reported that representatives of the authorities took an exhaustive approach to implementing the Standard. “Upon an initiative of the antimonopoly body, several Round Tables were organized with representatives of the authorities, business-community and Non-Profit Partnership for Competition Support”, commented Mikhail Teodorovich. The Head of Nizhniy Novgorod OFAS also quoted the results of estimating customer satisfaction.

Pyotr Shelisch emphasized a special role of the system of antimonopoly bodies in implementing the Standard and proposed to standardize goods and services in order to develop competition.

Mikhail Radenko outlined that his agency is developing a model programme of the best practices for developing small and medium business and competition. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is the pilot region for implementing the program.

In conclusion, participants agreed to continue consultation in order to exchange information on introducing the Standard in other regions.