The seminar provided detailed information on the principles of competition policy in the field of natural monopolies and the state control mechanisms provided for under the Competition Code.

An awareness-raising seminar on the requirements of the Competition Code was held at the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, attended by representatives of entities operating in the energy, trade, manufacturing, telecommunications, tourism and other sectors.

The seminar, which brought together representatives of nearly 30 business entities, featured a presentation by Shamsi Rzali, Head of the Division for State Control over Natural Monopolies of the Agency, titled “Anti-Competitive Actions of State Authorities and Natural Monopoly Entities”.

The presentation outlined the principles of competition policy in the field of natural monopolies and provided information on actions by state authorities, local self-government bodies and regulatory authorities that contravene competition legislation. It also covered state control over the activities of natural monopoly entities exercised by the competition authority, the regulatory methods applied in this area, and the assessment of the impact of subsidies and other forms of state aid on competition.

The seminar also covered the liability provided for violations of competition legislation and the mechanisms for applying liability measures in response to anti-competitive conduct by state authorities and natural monopoly entities.