FAS: JOINT EFFORTS OF ANTIMONOPOLY REGULATORS CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY AND ENSURING STABLE MARKETS

It was stated by Andrey Tsyganov, Deputy Head of FAS Russia, at a meeting of the BRICS Working Group on the Research of Competition Issues in the Food Sector, held in the BRICS+ format

The meeting was attended by representatives of the competition authorities of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Gambia, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, the Republic of Belarus, Uzbekistan, South Africa, representatives of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the BRICS International Competition Law and Policy Center, the Eurasian Alliance of Antimonopoly Experts.

The participants of the meeting discussed factors constraining the development of competition in the food markets of their countries, tools for assessing the impact of such factors on competition, the process of digital and technological transformation in the world food markets, as well as measures to create a favorable competitive environment in these markets.

Representatives of antimonopoly authorities noted the existing wide range of regulatory tools, shared the practice of price monitoring in order to counteract monopolistic actions, as well as discussed issues of antimonopoly control over ensuring equal conditions for subjects' access to state support measures.

Following the meeting of the BRICS Working Group, it was proposed to launch a global analysis of the industry together with the key partner countries of the association, involving the main importers and exporters and taking into account the scale of trade between the countries. It will allow conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current economic realities and develop new antitrust regulation tools in order to reduce the negative effects of price volatility in global food markets.