The X Sofia Competition Forum focused on cartels

Countering anticompetitive practices that uses the latest digital technologies

On 27 October 2017, the X Sofia Competition Forum discussed the best world practices of investigating cartel cases. The agenda focused on information exchange between competitors.

Head of Saratov OFAS Lyudmila Borisova and Deputy Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Dmitry Artyushenko took part in the event.

“The X Sofia Competition Forum helped find out about the best practices of foreign antimonopoly bodies in countering anticompetitive agreements”, pointed out Dmitry Artyushenko, at the II plenary session on exchanging information between competition authorities. His presentation was about qualification of “indirect” information exchange as a tool of anticompetitive agreements. Such information exchange is performed suing software, particularly, the so-called “price robots” – software for automated data collection about competitor prices.

“Reports of participants showed the need to develop new approaches in countering anticompetitive practices implemented through the newest digital technologies”, said Deputy Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department.  “I mean using price algorithms to control prices, auction robots, etc.”

Sofia Competition Forum started in November 2012 as a joint initiative of UNCTAD and Bulgaria Competition Protection Commission. The initiative is aimed at creating a Cooperation Forum based on workshops and internet-platforms for informational exchange. The Forum is an active platform for discussing technical assistance, experience exchange and consultation in the field of competition policy.