OSCE Office helps strengthen Armenian state agency for economic competition

YEREVAN, 9 April 2009 - The OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian State Commission on Protection of Economic Competition presented a project today to improve the Commission's monitoring and evaluation as well as increase the effectiveness of competition law and understanding of competition rules in the country.

Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, speaking at a joint news conference today, highlighted the project's aim of ensuring fair competition as a prerequisite for developing small and medium-sized business.

"Strengthening anti-monopoly measures is an effective action to reduce the negative effects of the financial crisis," he said.

As part of the project, OSCE expert Ioannis Kokkoris is visiting the State Agency for Economic Competition this week to make a comprehensive assessment of competition policy application, structures and practices.

Ashot Shahnazaryan, Chairman of the State Commission, said: "The project will provide European standards of monitoring, which will help limit anti-competitive behaviour. It will also provide Commission staff with the opportunity to improve their monitoring skills and knowledge."

Kokkoris has provided the Commission with preliminary observations and recommendations, including imposing significant fines for misleading information and amending legislation to allow and impose price collection without the need for a prior decision by the Commission, and will submit a detailed report shortly.