OREANDA-NEWS. July 09, 2014. Deputy Head of FAS, Andrey Kashevarov, the Heads of Tatarstan OFAS, Alexander Grunichev, and Kaliningrad OFAS, Olga Bobrova, took part in the International Conference on “Legal Aspects of Providing Equal Competition Conditions within the Common Economic Space”, opened on 3rd July in the western most region of Russia.

Participants of the International Round Table included a member of Collegium (Minister) on Competition and Antimonopoly Regulation of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Nurlan Aldabergenov; Deputy Chairman of the Regional Government, Konstantin Suslov; regional ministers, members of Kaliningrad Regional legislature; representatives the Office of the Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-Western Federal District.

Delegates from the authorities of the countries – members of the Common Economic Space, including Mazhilis (the Lower Chamber of the Parliament) and the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, representatives of academia, business community as well as the heads of some bodies of Japan, Morocco, and Bulgaria also participated in the Conference.

FAS was represented by Deputy Head of the Antimonopoly Service, Andrey Kashevarov, the Heads of Tatarstan OFAS, Alexander Grunichev, and Kaliningrad OFAS, Olga Bobrova.

On behalf of the regional Government the Round Table participants were welcomed by Konstantin Suslov.

“Kaliningrad region as a dynamically developing subject of Russia, actively participates in economic integration with the countries of the Customs Union. The process is not possible without an open dialogue between business and the authorities at the regional and federal level and applying the mechanisms of cooperation provided for within the Common Economic Space”, pointed out Deputy Chairman of the Regional Government.

Attendees of the international forum discussed the issues of providing equal conditions on the markets of the Common Economic Space, particularly, observing prohibitions on abusing the dominant position. As emphasized a member of Collegium (Minister) on Competition and Antimonopoly Regulation of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Nurlan Aldabergenov, “nowadays the main areas of antimonopoly regulation in the Common Economic Space are improving the antimonopoly regulation, studying cross-border markets, cooperation with the antimonopoly bodies”.

The Minister also explained the basic provisions of the Model Competition Law signed in October 2013 by the Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, and specially focused on the issues of cross-border markets studied by the Commission. In accordance with its powers, the Eurasian Economic Commission is studying, in particular, the markets of natural gas, electric power, international air and rail transportation, and international communications services.

Speakers at the Conference included representatives of Russia’s competition authority: Deputy Head of FAS, Andrey Kashevarov, the Heads of Tatarstan OFAS, Alexander Grunichev, and Kaliningrad OFAS, Olga Bobrova.

Attendees of the international forum supported the position of Andrey Kashevarov that such research-to-practice discussions “work for providing equal conditions for economic entities across the entire territory of the domestic market. Free movement of goods and development of competition are not only effective drivers for developing industries, reducing costs and decreasing product prices, but also an important element of economic growth of the states – members of the Common Economic Space”.

Notably, in 2013 the goods turnover between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan increased by 36 % in comparison with 2012 and reached USD 64,136 millions.