nternational Competition Network suspends Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service

 

International Competition Network suspends Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service

 

In a stop press development since my post yesterday, the International Competition Network (ICN) has now suspended the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) from participating in all its upcoming events.

This follows submissions from the competition authorities in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the Netherlands in the aftermath of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.

ICN’s chair has described how the invasion threatens the values the network is founded on, namely to “facilitate cooperation and convergence” between the world’s competition authorities.  At the same time it was made clear that the position would be reviewed if the situation changes.

The chair of the Competition Council of Latvia has commended the ICN’s statement as important in sending a strong signal of the international community’s zero tolerance for what is considered as a flagrant breach of human rights.

The chair of the Lithuanian authority said that the suspension was the “bare minimum” that the ICN can do.  There was regret that the justification put forward by the ICN based on the threat to ICN collaboration at events did not hit the mark and that instead there should be a more direct condemnation of what Russia had done.

Meanwhile, Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has joined the other authorities and in urging UNCTAD and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Competition Committee to suspend the FAS participation in their events.

I can speak anecdotally of reflections by Russian competition lawyers who condemn the action being taken in the name of the Russian Federation.  For reasons of anonymity and security they do not wish to be named.

Andrea Coscelli, the chief executive of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has gone on the record today supporting the ICN announcement.