Between 19-22 November and 5-7 December 2024, the Competition Council of the Republic of Moldova has organized a series of simulations of the presentation of Chapter 8 „Politics in the field of competition” before the bilateral meeting with the European Commission in Brussels. This represents an important step in the process of harmonizing the national legislation with the European Union norms and an exercise of preparation for the team of negotiators of the Republic of Moldova.

Within the simulations, the Competition Council’s team presented in detail the key issues in the areas of competition and state aid, as discussed in Brussels, including: antitrust rules applicable to undertakings, and, general legal and institutional framework, fight against corruption in competition and state aid, merger control, state aid rules, etc.

In total, 17 presentations were held, and the participants had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss important issues to strengthen the preparation of the delegation of the Republic of Moldova. The discussions focused on both the technical aspects of the legislation in force and the necessary steps to implement future reforms.

The bilateral screening is an exercise by which the Republic of Moldova will present to the European Commission the current stage in the process of aligning the national legislation to the European Union standards, the capacity of the institutions involved in the application of these rules and future plans for the implementation of the acquis communautaire.

This exercise is a complex process and a enormous effort, involving the majority of the Competition Council employees, each of whom has an essential role in preparing presentations, analyzing legislation and coordinating activities. Every detail of the simulation required close collaboration between subdivisions, but also other institutions, to ensure a coherent and well-grounded presentation of the actions to be carried out by the Republic of Moldova in the field of competition. The joint effort made by all involved underlines the institution’s commitment to the European integration process and to compliance with European Union standards.