Implementation of laws and regulations is very important not only to consumers but also to ensure level playing field and create predictable investment environment, said Head of the EU Delegation Michael Davenport at the conference dedicated to protection of competition held on the occasion of Competition Day and ninth anniversary of the operation of Commission for Protection of Competition.
Davenport said that ensuring an efficient system for the protection of competition was also essential for economy reforms, FoNet reports. Davenport said that such gatherings helped in raising awareness about the importance of laws and competition, not only among public, but also among business community and public administration.
Serbia and EU have reached an important stage in their relations, Davenport said and concluded that the screening process was successful in all chapters.
Stabilisation and Association Agreement is an important framework regulating competition, he said and added that the Agreement underlined the need to establish an entirely independent institution that would monitor the implementation of competition laws, something that would occupy the centre of European Commission’s attention.
Goal of today’s conference was to exchange experience about the particularities and effects of law on protection of competition, in order to create level playing field, strengthen efficiency and develop domestic economy as well as promote the process of EU accession.
Competition is a contest in which the hardest working and most innovative ones take the lead and set the course and pace of the overall societal development, as said at the conference. Thus the progress, economy progress in particular, is inextricably linked to competition.
The conclusion of the conference was that the main obstacle in the implementation of competition rules was insufficient knowledge about regulations among citizens and members of business community.
Raising awareness about protection of competition, more efficient implementation of law, harmonisation of practice and increasing operational predictability were all mentioned as priorities by President of Commission for Protection of Competition Miloje Obradovic.
He pointed to importance of fulfilling obligations assumed by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and further alignment with EU acquis.
The goal is to keep up with developed European systems, Obradovic said and warned that achieving that goal was hampered by insufficient knowledge of the public, companies and state authorities.
Minister of Economy Zeljko Sertic said that protection of competition and competition policy were equally important to economy and citizens, whereas protection of competition might bring multiple benefits to customers as it could help in reducing prices and increasing quality.
The State should not provide job to anyone, but create fair business environment and legal predictability, Sertic said.
The conference was organised through the support from the EU-funded project “Strengthening institutional capacity of the Commission for Protection of Competition in the Republic of Serbia”.
