State Agency for the Protection of Competition, in charge of controlling forbidden agreements and market domination and abuse of such position, will have €819.588 at its disposal this year, it was stated in the Government’s decision.
It has been announced that the agency will be focused on “achievement of goals”, that is, on fulfillment of requirements set by the European Commission for the Chapter 8.
The agency will pay special attention to anti-trust regulation concerning anti-monopoly rules and merging and abuse of dominant position and control of capital concentration. Since 2018, the agency is also in charge of controlling part of state aid.
“Competences and activities of the Agency should be regarded through overall economic development of the state and protection of right to competition, which reflect in suppression of non-market forms of behavior. Elimination of barriers for market access or distributive channels to new entrepreneurs, set preconditions for equal market match”, reads the decision.
Serious problem is the current number of employed persons and the budget. Considering the “expected further development of the competition policy, acknowledgement of all unlawful actions and practices that take place on Montenegro’s market”, Agency representatives believe that funds for their work should be increased.
“Achievement of annual goals of the agency will stimulate Montenegro’s economic development, increase safety for investors and provide total fulfillment of the set requirements and EU demands”, states the document.
As far as control of market conditions is concerned, the document states that some research has been carried out and it will continue this year too, “in order to understand better some sectors and relevant markets”.
Since agency has the possibility to carry out unexpected controls aimed at identifying forbidden agreements, people in the institution used that possibility. From April 2019 to June 2019, two controls of companies were carried out.
Around 26 persons have been engaged for the implementation of numerous activities. Nine persons work in the sector for concentration assessment, establishment of forbidden agreements and abuse of dominant position and seven employees work in the sector for state aid control. The Agency needs additional number of employees.
As far as finances are concerned, the document states that funds are provided by collection of fees, from the state budget and other sources.
