FAS AND THE NEW COMEPITTION AUTHORITY OF CHINA HELD A BILATERAL MEETING
On 1 August 2018, FAS delegation had a bilateral meeting with Ksu Lefu, Deputy General Director of the Antimonopoly Bureau, Chief Market Administration (SAMR) of the People’s Republic of China during the 7th China Competition Policy Forum. FAS delegation’ was led by Head of FAS Department for International Economic Cooperation, Lesya Davydova.
The parties discussed involvement of Chinese colleagues in BRICS events, organized by FAS during the Competition Week in Russia (a session of BRICS Working Group on pharmaceuticals and a session of BRICS Steering Committee). Lesya Davydova informed the Chinese colleagues that in September 2019 Moscow will hold the next BRICS Competition Conference, and its organization is now reaching the active stage. The parties reached arrangements that China Competition Authority will take an active part in organizing the Conference and putting the items on the agenda that are of most significance for China.
FAS delegation also informed Lefu about an initiative of adopting a draft Toolkit for international cooperation between competition authorities to counter restrictive business practices of big transnational corporations and cross-border violations of competition rules. The draft Toolkit is currently under discussion at UNCTAD. It was pointed out that the draft Toolkit is expected to be adopted as an appendix to F Section of UN Competition Set, it will be advisory and there will be no need to countries to make any amendments to their national laws. The Russian delegation invited Chinese colleagues to join the discussion of the initiative within UNCTAD Discussion Group on international cooperation and support it at the sessions of the Inter-governmental Group of Experts on competition law and policy. The Next IGE meeting is scheduled for July 2019.
The parties agreed to continue both bilateral cooperation and interaction under the BRICS format.