Deputy Economy Minister: Georgia “can be proud” of its “transparent, fair competition” policy

Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Genadi Arveladze on Wednesday said the country could be “proud of its transparent and fair competition policy” during his speech at the third international Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection, running in the capital city of Tbilisi between Wednesday and Friday.

In his opening remarks, Arveladze said he hoped discussions at the Conference would foster  exchange of best practices, the Ministry said.

He emphasised the importance of addressing “critical subjects”, including  effective enforcement of anti-dumping policies and  protection of consumer rights in the e-commerce sector.

Arveladze also underscored the significance of safeguarding competition and consumer rights as important components in strengthening the domestic economy. Citing the country’s Association Agreement with the European Union, he noted Georgia had emerged as a “model of transparent and fair competition policy”, distinguishing itself from other candidate countries for the bloc's membership.

Recently, we have implemented several new regulations aimed at promoting competition and protecting consumer rights, bringing our legislation closer to European standards. The progress was recognised in recent expansion reports”, the Deputy Minister said.

Arveladze further pointed out consumers were “one of the driving forces” of the economy, stating, “our task is to create a marketplace where every customer can access quality products and services at affordable prices, driven by robust competition”.

The Conference attracted Georgian  Government and Parliament officials, representatives from business and academic circles.

The event was a collaborative effort organised by the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency, the National Bank, and the National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission.