History of Competition Policy Enforcement in Georgia
After the restoration of the independence of Georgia, the establishment of the legal institutions which is typical for the market economy, as well as the formation of competition/antimonopoly policy began. The creation of competition policy and determination of the status and functions of the relevant enforcement authority took the start in 1992.
1992-1996 - Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Georgia, dated March 17 of 1992, on “Some Measures of Demonopolization of Economic Activities in the Republic of Georgia” was adopted, the main purpose was to prevent interference of Monopolies which were created after reorganization in certain national industries, in the process of DE monopolization and economic independence for primary industrial entities, which envisaged mandatory antimonopoly expertise. The decree of the State Council of the Republic of Georgia “On Restriction of Monopoly Activities and Development of Competition” of October 16, 1992, was adopted as well, which defined the organizational and legal bases for the development of competition, prevention and restriction of monopoly activities and unfair competition.
1996–2001 - Normative acts were adopted: 1) Law of Georgia on „Monopoly Activities and Competition“ of June 25, 1996; Later (1998) by the order of the President of Georgia was approved the statute and staff of the Antimonopoly Council under the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia; 2) The Law on “Consumers Protection” of 1996 and based on it the 21 rules of trade and services. Also, an Interagency Council for Consumer Protection was established; 3) The Law of Georgia on “Advertising” of 1998, together with the relevant sub-normative acts, etc.
2002 - 2005 In the country was carried out the process of redistribution of the mechanisms for the practical implementation of the unified antitrust policy.
2005-2010 A liquidation was implemented of monopoly activity and regulating norms and the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia was abolished and Agency Of Free trade and Competition was established in accordance with the Law of Georgia on Free Trade and Competition of June 3, 2005.
2010-2011 - The state sub-Agency under the Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia - the Free Trade and Competition Agency was abolished, replaced by a legal entity of public law of the same name under the Government of Georgia.
2012–2014 - LEPL Competition Agency and LEPL State Procurement Agency were merged on January 1, 2012 without any changes in the Competition Frame Law (“On Free Trade and Competition”) (without expressing general competition principles in it). Later, on May 8, 2012, a new law - “On Free Trade and Competition” - was adopted, repealing the law of the same name of June 3, 2005. The new law already contained the basic principles of competition and its provisions were partially harmonized with the relevant norms of the European Union. However, the law as a whole was faulty, could not provide protection of the principles of fair competition. That’s why in 2014, amendments were made to the existing law (even the name of the law was changed and instead of the Law on Free Trade and Competition it is now called the Law of Georgia on Competition) and as a result of legal and institutional reform was established independent LEPL Competition Agency.
2020 - The terms of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia, that each party shall maintain in its respective territory comprehensive competition laws, which effectively address anti-competitive agreements, concerted practices and anti-competitive unilateral conduct of enterprises with dominant market power and which provide effective control of concentrations to avoid significant impediment to effective competition and abuse of dominant position was the basis for the development of recommendations to the Competition Agency in the frame of the EU Assistance Project and on November 4, 2020, the major part of the amendments to the Law of Georgia on Competition entered into force, Which fully complies with European best practice, DCFTA requirements and reflects the basic principles of EU competition law.
In 2020, the Parliament of Georgia made a decision and the Office of the Public Procurement Dispute Resolution Council started operating under the structure of the Agency. Also, on January 1, 2021, the anti-dumping legislation came into force and the relevant department started functioning in the Agency.
The principal objective of the Agency is to implement competition policy, to establish and safeguard a pro-competitive environment in Georgia, and, for this purpose, to prevent, reveal and prohibit any kind of anti-competitive agreements and activities.
As of January 1, 2024, amendments to the Law of Georgia on Competition entered into force. These amendments have strengthened the enforcement of competition policy, clarified technical details and terms, and changed the name of the Agency to the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency.
Heads of Competition Body
Irakli Lekvinadze - Chairman of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency (November 27, 2019 - present)
David Chichinadze – Acting Chairman of the Competition Agency of Georgia (September 2019 - November 2019)
Nodar Khaduri - Chairman of the Competition Agency of Georgia (December 2016 - September 2019)
Giorgi Barabadze – Chairman of LEPL Competition Agency (April 2014 - November 2016)
Levan Razmadze - Chairman of LEPL Competition and State Procurement Agency (December 2013 - March 2014)
Tato Urjumelashvili - Chairman of LEPL Competition and State Procurement Agency (January 2012 - November 2013)
Lasha Mgeladze - Chairman of LEPL Free Trade and Competition Agency (May 2010 - December 2011)
Giorgi Tsereteli - Chairman of Free Trade and Competition Agency of Georgia, State Sub-Department of the Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia (August 2005 - April 2010)
Emzar Jgerenaia – Acting Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (September 2004 - July 2005)
Ilia Zakariadze – Acting Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (March - August 2004)
Sandro Ratishvili - Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (December 2003 - February 2004)
Armaz Tavadze - Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (November 2001 - November 2003)
Slava Fetelava - Acting Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (August - October 2001)
Genadi Malazonia - Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (May-July 2001)
Giorgi Isakadze - Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (August 2000 - April 2001)
Vazha Maisuradze - Head of the Competition Development, Consumer Rights Protection and Entrepreneurship Support Division of the Ministry of Economy of Georgia (June 1993 - February 1995)
Head of Main Division for Anti-Monopoly Policy of the Ministry of Economy of Georgia (March 1995 – December 1996)
Head of the State Antimonopoly Service of Georgia (January 1996 - July 2000)
Mamuka Lobzhanidze - Head of the Competition Development, Consumer Rights Protection and Entrepreneurship Support Division of the Ministry of Economy of Georgia (March 1992 - May 1993)
