Between 5 and 7 July 2023, the President of the Competition Council, Alexei GHERȚESCU, attends the 21st Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) dealing with competition law and policy, in Geneva, Swiss Confederation.

The conference addresses topics such as: enforcement issues in the case of monopolies; the interaction between competition and industrial policies; competition law and policy and sustainability; review of capacity building and technical assistance in the field of competition law and policy, etc.

Thereby, on 6 July 2023, the President of the Competition Council, together with colleagues from the Competition Authority of Poland, presented the first outcomes of the cooperation activities within the Regional Competition Platform, established in April 2023 by signing the Multilateral Memorandum of Cooperation.

The new regional cooperation platform, being conceived as a reliable support base for the Competition Council of the Republic of Moldova and the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in the implementation of the commitments undertaken by the two countries in the context of the European roadmap, immediately became a solid platform for the exchange of experience for the competition authorities of 10 Eastern and Central European countries.

The first tangible outcomes followed in the context of the two regional events, hosted by the Competition Council and held in Chisinau in May 2023 and June 2023.  

During the workshops, representatives of the 10 signatory authorities discussed the main outcomes and challenges encountered in their practical work on State aid, leniency policy, bid rigging, cartels, contractual advantages and communication. The experts shared their knowledge, expertise and experience, offering practical solutions in each area, contributing significantly to the adoption of European best practices in this regard. We strongly believe that the joint efforts of all members of this agreement will open up new opportunities for the Competition Council to develop the national legal framework harmonised with the EU acquis and strengthen its institutional capacities.

Therewith, for this year’s session of the Intergovernmental Working Group, the Competition Council of the Republic of Moldova has also prepared a contribution addressing issues arising in relation to the provision of technical assistance to competition authorities in developing countries.

The calendar of the working visit of the Chairman of the Competition Council in Geneva also included several bilateral sessions with colleagues from other countries and international institutions participating in the Conference, during which topics dedicated to the continued development of cooperation relations, exchange of experience, increasing the quality and efficiency of the Competition Council, especially in terms of fulfilling the commitments undertaken in the context of the European path of the Republic of Moldova, were discussed.