UNCTAD EXTENDED THE MANDATE OF THE WORKING GROUP ON CROSS-BORDER CARTELS
The key goal of the working group is to improve the mechanisms of international cooperation in the investigation of cross-border cartels
The extension of the mandate was considered during the 20th session of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy. Andrey Tsyganov, Deputy Head of FAS Russia, noted that in the context of globalization of economic processes and increasing digitalization, cartels are becoming cross-border, so the fight against them requires expanding and strengthening international cooperation.
Representatives of the Russian Federation took an active part in the meeting, presenting a report on measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Russia and improving competition legislation and its practical application.
The speaker noted that the Government of the Russian Federation, on the initiative of FAS Russia, adopted amendments to legislation exempting SMEs from excessive antimonopoly control. Thus, it provides for the right to choose a notification regime when making transactions of economic concentration in respect of companies whose total asset value ranges from 800 million rubles to 2 billion rubles. Changing the threshold for approving transactions will help to reduce the administrative burden and bureaucratic costs for entrepreneurs.
Besides, the parties discussed perspective directions of activity of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts in the frames of preparation for the UN Competition Conference* in 2025.
For reference:
The 20th session of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy was held in Geneva on July 20-22.
During the event, round tables were held on the issues of competition regulation in the digital age, the development of law enforcement in the post-pandemic period, as well as on the role of SME competition policy.
UNCTAD is a body of the UN General Assembly, established in 1964. To date, 195 countries are members of UNCTAD.
*The UN Conference on Competition is held at five-yearly intervals. The conference is attended by representatives of the member countries of UNCTAD, as well as representatives of business, scientific and expert communities.