GCCA Chairman Irakli Lekvinadze participated in the Annual Conference of the International Competition Network (ICN), held in Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines
The high-profile international event brought together nearly 500 delegates, including heads of national competition authorities and leading experts in the field, who engaged in substantive dialogue on the prevailing challenges and strategic priorities in the effective implementation and enforcement of competition policy at the global level.
On the margins of the Conference, Chairman Lekvinadze participated in a panel discussion convened by the Agency Effectiveness Working Group (AEWG), under the theme: "The Interplay between Competition and Consumer Policies: Integrating Effectiveness and Public Impact".
In his address to the panel, Chairman Lekvinadze presented Georgia's experience in establishing a unified institutional framework for the concurrent enforcement of competition and consumer protection mandates.
"Since 2022, following the adoption of the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights, the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency has operated as a dual-mandate authority, ensuring the integrated and coordinated governance of competition policy and consumer protection. This institutional model enables the Agency to simultaneously assess both prevailing competitive dynamics in the market and the direct impact of business practices on consumers, thereby facilitating more efficient and effective decision-making", stated Chairman Lekvinadze.
He further noted that Georgian legislation is advancing in progressive convergence with the legal and regulatory framework of the European Union, with alignment currently standing at 75% in the domain of competition law and 85% in the field of consumer rights protection.
Irakli Lekvinadze also outlined the Agency's institutional development strategy, which provides for the strengthening of inter-functional coordination between the competition and consumer protection divisions, the advancement of professional capacity, and the implementation of robust enforcement mechanisms.
The Chairman further emphasised the critical importance of international cooperation, observing that emerging challenges including digital markets, algorithmic pricing, and cross-border infringements can only be effectively addressed through sustained and coordinated multilateral engagement.
The ICN Annual Conference stands as one of the most authoritative international platforms in the field of competition policy. This year's edition carries particular significance, marking the 25th anniversary of the Network's founding. The Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency has held full membership of the ICN since 2014 and remains an active and engaged participant in the Network's working structures and initiatives.
