On September 11, as part of a joint visit to China with FAS Russia, Alexey Ivanov, Director of the International BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre, and Andrey Tsyganov, Deputy Head of FAS Russia, held a bilateral meeting with Gan Lin, Head of the State Antimonopoly Bureau of China, Deputy Head of the State Administration for Market Regulation of China (SAMR).
During the meeting, the parties discussed the prospects for further interaction between the antimonopoly regulators of both countries within the framework of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
In particular, the issue of cooperation between the territorial bodies of FAS Russia and SAMR was discussed. Thus, the deputy head of the Russian agency proposed to continue holding regular working meetings on the basis of the territorial offices of the service in the Far Eastern Federal District together with colleagues from the PRC. Such meetings will be devoted to discussing the application of antimonopoly and advertising legislation in Russia and the PRC, as well as other topics of mutual interest, with the aim of further exchange of experience.
The discussion also touched upon such a key mechanism of interaction in the BRICS format as the Competition Conference, which is held every two years in turn in each of the BRICS countries. The next event will be held on October 11-13, 2023 in New Delhi, India. The cooperation of BRICS competition authorities becomes particularly important in light of the decision to invite six new countries as full members of BRICS.
According to Alexey Ivanov, the BRICS Centre experts are finalizing a substancial report on the incorporation of sustainable development goals into antitrust regulation. The report will be presented in October at the BRICS International Competition Conference in Delhi.
"When we talk about sustainable development goals, we often think of climate change first, but we overlook the social agenda, which is no less ambitious. Access to medicines and technologies, the fight against inequality, hunger and so on — all this should be the focus of the regulator's attention, and here it is necessary to use mechanisms to protect competition,"
Ivanov said.
Gan Lin showed interest in this initiative and expressed SAMR's intention to further cooperate with the FAS in combating cross-border cartels and in addressing the challenges of the digital economy. It is planned to develop the exchange of experience, information on scientific research and legislative changes on this topic.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue the dialog, including within the framework of the upcoming BRICS event in India.
