BRICS Antitrust (Competition) Agencies Discuss Competition in Digital Markets

The BRICS Working Group for the Research of Competition Issues in Digital Markets met on 11 April at the Training and Methodological Centre of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia in Kazan.

The event kicked off the official 2024 calendar of antitrust events for the year of Russia’s BRICS Chairship. The working group met as a part of the international roundtable on antitrust regulation in the digital economy.

Experts from BRICS competition agencies of new member countries were invited to participate in the working group, co-chaired by the antimonopoly authorities of Brazil and Russia, following the decision of BRICS leaders in Johannesburg on 24 August 2023 to expand the association. The BRICS-plus working group meeting was attended by representatives of competition authorities from the CIS, Zambia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Thailand, Tanzania, and Zambia, paving the way for greater involvement from new applicants.

The meeting was dedicated to increasing self-regulation within the technology sector and the role of soft law in building a more competitive digital market environment in BRICS.

The meeting participants considered the latest trends and initiatives for the application of soft law in digital markets in BRICS and tallied interim results for the working group.

The session was opened by the Head of Competition and Consumer Policies at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), who spoke of a recent UNCTAD study into the challenges competition agencies are currently facing in the digital economy.

A representative of the Brazilian Competition Authority spoke about their experience advocating for competition and raising public awareness of the importance of promoting a healthy competitive environment.

Speakers from Russia and China highlighted the importance of finding a balance between antitrust law and soft law enforcement, while a representative of Egypt’s competition agency spoke about the improvement of soft law mechanisms in various markets in Egypt under its 2025 Competition Development Plan.

Part of the working group meeting focused on a draft of Model Principles and Standards for BRICS Digital Market Participants.

The Model Principles seek to create a business environment in BRICS that will be more transparent and non-discriminatory. The document will expand the list of unfair practices currently on the radar of BRICS competition authorities and help companies avoid the main risks identified in the industry.

It is expected that the document will be submitted for approval by the heads of BRICS competition authorities during the meeting of the BRICS Antimonopoly Policy Coordination Committee held under the Russia’s BRICS Chairship.

The participants decided to focus on how artificial intelligence will affect competition protection and consider what challenges await antitrust regulators dealing with companies using artificial intelligence in the future.

The Roscongress Foundation manages the events of Russia’s BRICS Chairship.