Institutional capacity of national competition offices

Abstract

Background. In the face of increasing globalization challenges and increasing the level of riskiness in all areas of economic life, the problems of competition policy implementation, improving the mechanism of control over the functioning of the competitive environment, competition protection and increasing the competitiveness of national market entities are urgent. The analysis of the international experience peculiarities of increasing the institutional capacity of national competition authorities is an important scientific task.
Analysis of recent researches and publications indicates that, despite the existence of some scientific developments, the research issue of the institutional capacity of national antitrust authorities requires further deep and systematic scientific research.
The aim of the article includes the disclosure of theoretical foundations and practical aspects generalization of the institutional capacity formation of national competition offices and determining the directions of its increase.
Materials and methods. A set of methods and approaches that enables the realization of system and conceptual unity of the research, namely dialectical, systemic and comparative analysis and synthesis is used by the author.
Results. The competition policy, which is conducted primarily by the national competition authority takes an important place in the system of economy state regulation. The complexity of functioning and development process of competitive relations necessitates the state competition policy formation as a separate direction of economic policy.
The results of the analysis identified the issues the resolution of which should increase the level of institutional capacity of national antitrust authorities. This is an improvement of cartel conspiracy detection and investigation procedures; exemption from liability of business entities who provided the information about cartels; bringing the order of control over concentrations and concerted actions to EU standards; procedure improvement of carrying out inspections of compliance with the requirements of Law on Protection of Competition by business entities.
Conclusion. Based on the conducted analysis of the theoretical foundations and the practical aspects of the institutional capacity of the national antitrust authorities, it can be argued that the competition enforcement and advocacy procedures have a decisive influence on these processes. Therefore, the institutional capacity improvement of national antitrust authorities is linked to: openness to the business sector; the implementation of competition standards proven by world practice; raising the cost thresholds in concentration control matters; amendments to the current legislation on penalties, etc. However, many tasks still need to be solved. First of all, this is an improvement of the existing competition institutions and the introduction of new ones.