FAS RUSSIA SHARED ITS EXPERIENCE IN SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Andrey Tsyganov, Deputy Head of the FAS Russia, made a presentation during the online dialogue organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in cooperation with the UNECE.

According to Andrey Tsyganov, in 2020, the Federal Antimonopoly Service focused on overcoming the competition problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The disruption of supply chains, the restriction of transport communications, and the physical shortage of certain goods caused changes in their prices.

The FAS Russia promptly responded to the crisis challenges and took a number of actions that also allowed to remove the administrative burden on business and form a set of supporting institutional measures in addition to those announced by the President and the Government of the Russian Federation.

"In the spring of 2020, the FAS Russia established a moratorium on inspections of small and medium-sized enterprises, if they are not suspected of cartel activity; measures were established to defer and install fines for such enterprises; the pandemic was recognized as force majeure in the execution of state contracts for supplies for state needs. These measures have become just one of the links in the package of measures to support small and medium-sized businesses implemented by the Government of the Russian Federation," said Andrey Tsyganov.