OECD-GVH RCC publishes an article by Irakli Lekvinadze

Tbilisi, Georgia: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Hungarian Regional Center for Competition (OECD-GVH RCC), has published an article by Irakli Lekvinadze, the Chairman of the Competition and Consumer Protection Agency of Georgia, in its latest newsletter.

The article discusses the reforms, important cases and results achieved in the field of competition policy and consumer rights protection in Georgia since 2014. 

It highlights the main achievements of the agency, such as the adoption of the new Law on Competition, the establishment of the Competition Council, the increase of the agency’s independence and resources, the enhancement of the advocacy and awareness-raising activities, and the improvement of the enforcement and investigation practices.

The article also presents some of the most significant cases handled by the agency in various sectors, such as telecommunications, energy, retail, banking, pharmaceuticals, and transport. It showcases the agency’s efforts to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive practices, such as misleading advertising, unfair contract terms, and defective products.

The article also provides information about the II International Conference on Competition Policy and Consumer Protection, which was held in Tbilisi in 2023, as requested by the editorial board of the newsletter.

The agency organized the conference in cooperation with the OECD-GVH RCC and the European Union. It gathered more than 200 participants from 40 countries, including representatives of competition authorities, international organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector.

The conference covered various topics related to the challenges and opportunities of competition policy and consumer protection in the digital era, such as the regulation of digital platforms, the role of data and innovation, the impact of mergers and acquisitions, and the cooperation and convergence among jurisdictions.

The article by Irakli Lekvinadze is available in English and Russian on the OECD-GVH RCC website.