RACHIK PETROSYAN: BE IN THE FOREFRONT, BRAVELY TAKE A STEP FORWARD
Annual Open-House Day at FAS for university students from Moscow and the Moscow region
FAS was visited by 3rd and 4th year BA students and 1st and 2nd MA students from Russian State University for Humanities, Moscow State University, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, State University of Management, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Financial University, Kutafin Moscow State Law University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
Deputy Head of FAS Rachik Petrosyan informed students about the work of the antimonopoly body amidst digitalization of the economy.
He said: “Today we observe systemic changes in different spheres of the economy with advent of new technological solutions. They change consumer interests, the mechanisms of interaction between market participants, which requires timely reaction from the state”.
As an example, he mentioned changes on the market of taxi services when online-aggregators appeared in the sector.
“New technologies undoubtedly simplify buying goods and services, customer search; at the same time they bear risks for business and the market in general since in the absence of proper regulation digital platforms, that possess big data, can monopolize markets and dictate work conditions for its participants, which is unacceptable”, emphasized Deputy Head of FAS.
For instance, responding to the challenges of economic digitalization, FAS devised the fifth antimonopoly package – amendments to the antimonopoly law that shape the basis for market performance in the new conditions and non-discriminatory access to information.
He also described the latest trends in the field of developing public informational systems (PIS) in Russia.
“There are over 40 PIS only at the federal level. They used to be created exclusively by the state, yet today PIS are developed by private companies under the frame of public-private partnership. And we can expect convenience and efficiency of such systems since commercial success of the system developer fully depends on demand for it among users”, reported Rachik Petrosyan.
Answering questions from students, about state share in the economy, he said that currently all branches and levels of authorities in the Russian Federation are pursuing No.618 Order of the President of the Russian Federation that approved the National Plan for Developing Competition in Russia.
One of the key objectives of the National Plan is to reduce the share of public sector in the economy. In particular, all sectors of the economy should have at least three companies, one of which must be private.
Deputy Head of FAS сinstructed the students: “The future belongs to technologies and if you see opportunities that they open, it remains for you to choose a sector. Be in the forefront, bravely take a step forward”.
Students were also informed about the practice of regulating the housing-and-utility complex. Deputy Head of the FAS specialized Department, Elena Tsyshevskaya talked to the future specialists about competition in the field of heating and electric power industries.
Deputy Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Anton Teslenko shared experience of on-site inspections, anti-cartel efforts during electronic competitive bidding and a system of exposing anticompetitive collusions. He reminded about the words of Stats-Secretary - Deputy Head of FAS Andrey Tsarikovskiy, that in order to catch a digital mouse, a digital cat must be created. Today this is a focus of the Department’s work.
Galina Davydova, an advisor to FAS Legal Department, outlined activities of FAS collegial bodies, development of unified practice of antimonopoly enforcement and FAS powers.
Deputy Head of FAS Public Service Department, Elena Kosyanchuk, invited students to take part in internship at Departments of the Antimonopoly Service.