Minsk will host two thematic sessions on competition and antimonopoly regulation within the framework of the IV Eurasian Economic Forum on June 26.
"Pharmaceutical Market Development: Access and Affordability" (9:00-10:30, Hall 2, 1st floor), chaired by Maksim Ermolovich, Minister for Competition and Antitrust Regulation of the EEC, will discuss the following matters:
- Shaping the EAEU common market of medicines (where we are now, what difficulties we are facing, and what prospects for further development we have);
- The role of antimonopoly authorities in the promotion of competition in pharmaceutical markets;
- Regulation of prices for medicines (best national practices and whether approaches need to be aligned within the EAEU);
- Barriers in pharmaceutical markets (what we should adjust to make the sector develop progressively);
- Measures that will allow to grow in-house manufacture of original and generic medicines in the EAEU and fully provide the Union citizens with affordable quality medicines.
The discussion will be based on the results of the EAEU pharmaceutical market survey conducted by EEC Antitrust Regulation Department.
The sector requires continued control and support measures from the national and Eurasian regulators, taking into account the higher standards for the conditions of production and circulation of medicines, limited budgetary resources for medicine procurement, other rapidly changing factors, production technologies, and the growing needs of the medical community and consumers.
The session will host: Alexander Starovoitov, Deputy Minister of Healthcare of the Republic of Belarus; Timofey Nizhegorodtsev, Deputy Head of Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia; heads of pharmaceutical associations, representatives of specialized government agencies, science and business circles from all the countries of the Union.
"Modern Competition Policy: Challenges and Prospects" (10:50-12.20, Hall 2, 1st floor) with participation of Maksim Ermolovich, Minister for Competition and Antitrust Regulation of the EEC, will discuss the following matters:
- What competition regulation authorities should do;
- The existing regulatory mechanisms (whether they are sufficient for current tasks);
- What measures are necessary to ensure fair competition in a rapidly changing world;
- Tools that can ensure the balance of interests in the society and the economy;
- The role of government and business in shaping a competitive environment;
- Approaches used by the competition regulation authorities in the EAEU states and by foreign partners.
The main objective of the session is to outline the key challenges that the competition authorities face at present, to discuss the measures and mechanisms necessary to ensure fair competition in a rapidly changing world, as well as the role of government and business in shaping a competitive environment.
Special attention will be paid to foreign experience. Representatives of competition authorities from China, Iran, Uzbekistan will present their country experience in implementing effective competition policy, as well as their experience in responding to rapid changes in technology and markets. In addition, the Head of the Competition and Consumer Policies Branch at UNCTAD, as well as BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre Director will present their views on the matter.
