COOPERATION BETWEEN COMPETITION AUTHORITIES OF RUSSIA AND BRAZIL ENABLES STRENGTHENING MECHANISMS FOR IDENTIFYING DIGITAL CARTELS

Maxim Shaskolsky, Head of FAS Russia, and Alexandre Barreto de Souza, General Superintendent of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense of Brazil, discussed the state and prospects of cooperation between the competition authorities of Russia and Brazil

An important area of joint activity of the competition authorities is the holding of consultations during considering cases of violation of antimonopoly legislation and approving global mergers that affect the state of competition in Russia and Brazil.

Work also continues in the BRICS format: the parties actively participate in the activities of the BRICS Working Groups for the Research of Competition Issues in Socially Significant Markets. Russia and Brazil are also co-chairs of the BRICS Working Group in Digital Markets and interact in the Working Group on Cartels, which is currently preparing a Review of leniency programs in the countries of the association.

The parties also exchange experience in the sphere of special software development and use to identify digital cartels and collusion at auctions in both countries. It allows to improve current screening programs – AIS Anticartel in Russia and Cérebro in Brazil.

In addition, the representatives discussed issues of joint work and supporting of initiatives at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and outlined short-term priority areas of cooperation within this international organization.

At the end of the meeting, Maxim Shaskolsky and Alexandre Barreto de Souza noted the significant Russian-Brazilian relationship in the field of competition policy, agreed to expand areas of cooperation and deepen practical interaction, which will improve the mechanisms of antimonopoly regulation in both countries. 

For reference:

In 2001, an Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Federal Republic of Brazil on Cooperation in the field of Competition policy was signed, in the development of which the parties adopt two-year cooperation programs (https://fas.gov.ru/news/32298).

Cooperation between the competition authorities of Russia and Brazil is also carried out within the framework of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the BRICS competition authorities on cooperation in the field of competition law and policy, signed in 2016 in St. Petersburg (https://fas.gov.ru/pages/international-partnership/briks/dokumentyi/).