Russia and Kazakhstan Strengthen Cooperation on Competition Protection

The M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University in Nur-Sultan hosted the launch of a Master's programme in ‘Competition Law’ and the presentation of the textbook ‘Competition Law and Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan’. The foreword to the textbook was written by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The discussion was moderated by Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre at HSE University. A delegation from the Centre also took part in the event.

The new textbook was prepared by an international team of authors and edited by Serik Zhumangarin, Chairman of the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition of the Republic of Kazakhstan. ‘I hope that in the near future, graduates of this master's programme will pursue careers in the antimonopoly service, and as economists and lawyers in private and public companies,’ writes President Tokayev in the foreword.

Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre at HSE University and one of the authors of the textbook, wrote a chapter on the revision of antitrust regulation in digital markets.

‘Antimonopoly law is undergoing a serious transformation today. In the era of globalisation and shifts in familiar business models, the traditional methods and approaches of antimonopoly law have stopped working or aren’t working effectively enough,’ he said. Most jurisdictions are looking for new solutions, a new paradigm of antimonopoly policy.

Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre at HSE University

‘The textbook, which was prepared by a team of authors led by Serik Zhumangarin, is a tool for critically comprehending the processes taking place in the new economic reality—a tool that is unique even in the international community. I hope that students who use this textbook will not only learn to apply antimonopoly law, but will understand its creative nature and form a new generation of antimonopoly lawyers and economists who will determine antimonopoly regulation in the 21st century.’

Chairman of the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition of the Republic of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin and Chairman of the Board of KAZGUU Talgat Narikbayev took part in the event, which was held in a hybrid format. Master’s students, the authors of the textbook, and senior managers of the Center for the Competition Policy Development and Protection participated in the on-site part of the event. Senior managers from the antimonopoly authorities of Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the Eurasian Economic Commission participated online.

Chairman of the Board of KAZGUU Talgat Narikbayev highlighted the role of the Master's programme in ‘Competition Law’ in the implementation of the state's competition policy. Programme supervisors Abay Abylayuly and Kambar Omarov spoke about the programme’s curriculum and benefits. Serik Zhumangarin presented a short overview of the history and development of antimonopoly legislation and the current situation with market monopolisation in Kazakhstan.

In 2015, Alexey Ivanov, Director of the HSE University BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre and the HSE — Skolkovo Institute for Law and Development, was selected as a leading international expert to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation in Kazakhstan in terms of competition and the country's compliance with the rules of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Antimonopoly regulation reform in Kazakhstan was introduced as a separate item in the National Development Plan. In October 2020, by order of the President of Kazakhstan, the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition was created. In October 2021, as part of the VII Eurasian Antitrust Forum, an agreement on strategic partnership was signed between the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre (as part of HSE University) and the International Center for Competition Law, Innovation and Policy of Kazakhstan.