ARTEM MOLCHANOV: IMPROVING THE RULE-OF-LAW STATE IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT COMPETITION
Head of FAS Legal Department was a speaker at a grand meeting of the Competition Law Department, Saratov State Law Academy, where he talked about antimonopoly regulation at the modern stage
On 8 November 2019, Saratov State Law Academy celebrated the 5th anniversary of the Competition Law Department.
Artem Molchanov gave a welcoming address at the official opening ceremony of the event. He emphasized efficient cooperation between the Department and the antimonopoly authority, generating valuable results.
He covered various aspects of antimonopoly regulation and touched the history of the antimonopoly body. Special attention was paid to modernizing the law and drafting five antimonopoly packages.
Artem Molchanov described the most high-profile cases from FAS practice, including reduction of prices for the medicines on the list of vital and essential drugs, exposure of large cartels and tariff regulation.
He drew attention to the law-making efforts of the Federal Antimonopoly Service.
“The draft law “On prohibiting unitary enterprises on competitive markets” is passed in the first reading. Draft laws on antimonopoly compliance and non-suspension of orders against the authorities if appealed to Courts are also submitted to the State Duma [the parliament]. The documents submitted to the Government of the Russian Federation for consideration include: the “fifth digital” antimonopoly package, draft laws “On reforming legal regulation of natural monopolies”, “On the basic principles of state regulation of prices (tariffs)” and “On possibility for the Government of the Russian Federation to permit use of results of intellectual activity without patent-holder’s consent (Article 1360 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation)”, informed Artem Molchanov.
The participants emphasized significant research contribution of the Department in developing competition in the Saratov region and excellent training of specialists.
Head of the Department, Head of Saratov OFAS Lyudmila Borisova, said that every year 1500 BA and Specialist’s Programme students attend lectures and seminars to study the pressing issues of competition protection on the markets, and around 300 participants from different regions of Russia (Penza, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Voronezh and Astrakhan) are engaged in additional training programmes for advancing qualification in competition law and procurement.
Attendees also discussed the progress in executing the National Competition Development Plan, approved by № 618 Order of the President of the Russian Federation of 21.12.2017.
Artem Molchanov highlighted that, following instructions from the Government of the Russian Federation, the Federal Antimonopoly Service is drafting 2021-2025 National Competition Development Plan, where both education and science should be a big focus.
FAS and the Russian Academy of Sciences are considering establishing a joint Working Group to draft specific proposals to the Presidential Order on a new National Competition Development Plan and draft Road Map for developing competition in education and science by mid-December 2019.
During the official ceremony, Artem Molchanov handed over a Letter of Appreciation from Head of FAS Igor Artemiev to the team of the Competition Law Department, Saratov State Law Academy for their active contribution and assistance in handling the tasks set by the antimonopoly authority, and a Letter of Appreciation for active involvement of FAS Departments for Competition Law and Antimonopoly Regulation in the work of the Academic Educational and Methodological Board of educational establishments to Acting Rector of Saratov State Law Academy, an Associate Professor Ekaterina Ilgova.
“The jubilee is a valuable event for all of us, an important step forward in our big collaborative work. Improving the rule-of-law state is impossible without competition. Achieving this – is our common goal and work”, stressed Artem Molchanov.
Background:
Other participants of the grand meeting of the Competition Law Department included dean of the Law Faculty, Saratov National State Research University named after Chernyshevsky, Professor Galina Komkova (Dr. Hab. Law); Head of Arbitration Proceedings Department, Saratov State Law Academy, Sergey Afanasiev (Dr. Hab. Law); Head of Civil Proceedings Department, Saratov State Law Academy, Oksana Isaenkova (Dr. Hab. Law); Professor Alexander Sokolov (Dr. Hab. Law).