Anatoly Golomolzin: all goals set up to the Headquarters are achieved successfully!

On 26 September 2016 the “The Russian Competition Week” included a jubilee session of the Headquarters for Joint Investigations of the Violations of the Antimonopoly Legislation in the CIS Countries (Headquarters).

Headquarters was formed at the Intestate Council on Antimonopoly Policy in 2006. During 10-year period of its work, the Headquarters has studied a number of socially important markets. The results of 5 studies were approved by the Council of the Heads of CIS Governments.

Conclusions and recommendations of such studies are being used in practical work of the antimonopoly bodies of the CIS member states.

The Head of the Secretariat of the Intestate Council on Antimonopoly Policy, Azam Usmanov, thanked experts of the antimonopoly bodies of the CIS states, members of the Non-Profit Partnership for “Competition Support in the CIS Countries” and representatives of competition authorities of foreign countries that in various periods took part in the Headquarters’ projects for their regular and active involvement in the projects. He pointed out that “the top results of the Headquarters’ efforts are undoubtedly due to its competent and constructive approach”.

“The Headquarters is a kernel of constructive and efficient work of the Intestate Council on Antimonopoly Policy”, emphasized Azam Usmanov. “In these years the Headquarters has proved to be an efficient platform for exposing competition development issues on socially-important and infrastructure markets. Successful functioning of which ensures efficient advancement of economic integration across the CIS countries and growing well-being of the population”.

The next speaker was the Headquarters’ Chair, Deputy Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia), Anatoly Golomolzin, who discussed the outcome of the 10-year efforts undertaken by the Headquarters and the prospects of its development.

Anatoly Golomolzin gave a detailed account of the findings of surveys and investigations of the state of competition on such socially –important markets of the CIS states as passenger air transportation, telecommunications, sales of food products in retail chains, oil and oil products and pharmaceuticals.

“Today after ten years, one can say with confidence that all goals set for the, are achieved successfully. The Headquarters drafted five reports that were approved by the Intestate Council on Antimonopoly Policy and presented to the Council of the Heads of CIS Governments. The Recommendations given by antimonopoly experts led to significant improvement on the markets.

We showed that prices can go down, particularly, roaming and medical drug prices can be reduced by many times, the scope of air transportation can go up, possibilities for limiting the growth rate of prices for oil products and that retail monopolists can be controlled. It is within the power of the antimonopoly bodies provided they work in cooperation with each other.

We continue focusing on the most important markets for the population in our countries to strengthen economic interaction across the CIS”, summed up Anatoly Golomolzin.

The Competition Council of the Republic of Moldova also marks its 10^th anniversary this year. Its Chair, Viorica Carare, pointed out that the main outcome of the Headquarters’ efforts “is not simply some elaborated methods and market research, but, primarily launching numerous investigations and antimonopoly cases”.

The President of Austria Competition Authority, Theodor Tanner emphasized that the European Union does not have organizations such as the Headquarters: “I t is a unique idea and our task is to develop and reinforce this cooperation”.

Vasily Rudomino, the Chairman of the Council of the Non-Profit Partnership for “Competition Support in the CIS Countries” stated that antimonopoly bodies should be more open and pay more attention to market analysis. He emphasized that “it is necessary to move from international market research to international investigations”.

The Head of the ICT Sector of the Executive Committee of the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications (RCC), Shirin Mukhitdinova, outlined the goals and objectives of the Committee and the prospects of further cooperation with the Headquarters under the frame of telecommunications surveys.

Summing up the meeting, Anatoly Golomolzin invited everybody to take part in the next RCC session, thus, supporting the proposal on expanding cooperation.

He said: “The Headquarters is not ready to rest, and I am confident that the results of further, no less productive actions will not be slow in coming!”