On 23 July, Mr Igor Artemyev, Head of the Russian
Federal AntiMonopoly Service (the FAS Russia), chaired the Meeting of the Heads
of BRICS Competition Authorities via videoconference.
The meeting saw the presence of Mr Alexandre Barreto de Souza, President of Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defence, Mr Ashok
Kumar Gupta, Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India, Ms Gan Lin, Deputy
Director of the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People’s Republic of China , and Mr Tembinkosi Bonakele, Commissioner
of the South African Competition Commission.
The participants discussed the impact
of the coronavirus pandemic on BRICS markets and measures to maintain a
healthy competitive environment under the current circumstances. They also discussed
the initiative to adopt the Model recommendations on the use of waivers (information
confidentiality waiver) when coordinating global economic concentration
transactions within BRICS, as well as other topical issues related to
cooperation between the competition authorities of the five countries on the
relevant international platforms.
“Coordination between our agencies has reached a high
level. We can hold joint consultations and carry out investigations, and I
would like to thank my colleagues for this. We have signed the Declaration by the
Heads of BRICS Competition Authorities so that Memorandum of Understanding on
Cooperation in the Field of Competition Law and Policy among the BRICS
Competition Authorities remains in force for an indefinite period. This was the
first document signed by the five countries within the 2020 Russian BRICS
Chairmanship, which indicates the commitment by the BRICS regulators to
facilitating and enhancing cooperation between our countries on competition
affairs,” Mr Artemyev pointed out.
Assisting phased efforts to restore economic activity under
the pandemic restrictions being lifted became a separate item on the meeting agenda.
The Heads of the BRICS Competition Authorities adopted a Joint Statement on
consolidating efforts to fight the negative economic consequences of COVID-19.
In addition, the participants discussed preparations
for the 8th United Nations Conference on Competition and Consumer
Protection, which is expected to include the adoption of guidelines and rules
for international cooperation. The partners also supported the initiative put
forward by the Russian Federal AntiMonopoly Service on including the issueof
fighting cross-border cartels on the next five-year agenda of the UNCTAD
Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Competition Law and Policy.
Mr Andrei Tsyganov, Deputy Head of the FAS Russia, , presented the outcomes of cooperation between the five countries within the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre: “Research expertise on a broad range of competition law and policy issues will help us achieve the tasks we are facing, as well as develop approaches to addressing the existing challenges across the BRICS through joint efforts by the BRICS Competition Authorities and academia within the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre. The Government of the Russian Federation proactively supported this centre’s creation and operation.”
Official website of the Russian BRICS presidency: https://eng.brics-russia2020.ru