INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPETITION AND CONSUMER RIGHTS PROTECTION
On November 16-18, 2023, five regulatory authorities of Georgia – Insurance State Supervision Service, National Competition Agency, National Bank, GNERC and Communications Commission, jointly hosted II International Conference ‘’Competition and Consumer Rights’’. The event aimed at strengthening the competition policy in Georgia and improving the human rights protection mechanisms.
The Conference opened with the welcome speeches of Levan Davitashvili, Vice-Prime-Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development; Zurab Azarashvili, Minister of Internally Displaced People from Occupied Territories of Georgia, Labour, Health and Social Affairs; Davit Songhulashvili, chair of the Parliament Committee of Sectoral Economy and Economic Policy; Mikheil Sarjveladze, Chair of the Parliament Committee of Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration; Tereza Moriera, UNCTAD, head of Competition and Consumer Policy; Ori Schwartz is the Head of the OECD Competition Division.
The opening session –‘’Competition and Consumer Rights from Sectoral Perspective – outcomes, achievements, challenges’’ was presented by the heads of regulatory authorities.
"The 2022 results of the insurance sector and the outcomes of three quarters, 2023 were presented with a comparative look at the results of nine months of the previous year. The market shows an increasing trend; with three months ahead, we can already make forecasts for 2023. Particularly, it is expected that for the first time, the insurance premium, i.e. the revenues of insurance companies will exceed one billion Georgian Lari in 2023. Overall, the sector is smoothly developing but there are still areas where it needs improvement. We are actively cooperating with international organizations to introduce certain products to the Georgian market", Davit Onoprishvili, head of ISSSG told the media.
William E. Kovacic, director of the competition Law Center at George Washington University, Global Competition Professor of Law and Policy was invited to the International Conference as a leading speaker.
Delegations of up to 20 countries and top officials of the agencies working in the area of competition and consumer rights protection of up to 10 different counties as well as the members of the Government and Parliament, local and international experts, regulatory agencies, public agencies, academic circles and business sectors participated in the Conference.
At the Conference, where 9 thematic sessions were held, up to 50 local and international experts, in a joint format, highlighted the results and challenges in the area of competition and consumer rights protection.