OSCE organizes economic competition policy seminar in Armenia

YEREVAN, 17 September 2002 - A seminar on good governance in economic policy development and the promotion of economic competition in Armenia was co-organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan last week.

The event, which was held in co-operation with the Armenian European Policy and Legal Advice Centre (AEPLAC), was a follow-up to recommendations made at the Ninth OSCE Economic Forum, that took place in Prague last year.

The seminar, held on 12 and 13 September, aimed at discussing specific obstacles to free economic competition in Armenia. The final objective was to adopt corresponding recommendations on competition policy and regulatory management for the Armenian authorities, specifically the State Commission on the Protection of Economic Competition.

Elaine Conkievich, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, opened the seminar by stressing its importance as an contribution to the international community efforts to support anti-corruption and good governance in Armenia.

Samvel Stepanian, Chairman of the Commission, said: "There was no institution to deal with economic competition protection in Armenia and when the law was passed the Commission faced a number of problems. Now is the time to resolve them in co-operation with other state and international bodies".

The seminar benefited from contributions by Armenian parliamentarians and officials, as well as representatives from non-governmental organizations. It attracted about 100 participants and was covered extensively by the Armenian media. Representatives of the Competition Directorate of the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) were among the many other bodies offering valuable expertise.

Aside from providing an introduction to general competition policy introduction, the event also focused on Armenian competition legislation, its implementation and enforcement. A number of practical recommendations made by national and international experts are being summarized by the OSCE Office for distribution to the Armenian authorities and their international counterparts.

The Seminar was funded by the USAID Mission to Armenia and the OSCE Office in Yerevan. Additional funding for the participation of international experts was provided by the government of the and USA Germany, as well as the European Commission and the EBRD.