Kabardino-Balkarian State University Discussed Unfair Competition and Inappropriate Advertising
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov hosted the International Scientific and Practical Conference «Unfair Competition and Inappropriate Advertising. Specifics of Law Enforcement Practice in the Member States of the Eurasian Economic Union.» During the conference, representatives of government agencies, the scientific and educational communities, and businesses exchanged best practices and developments. Promising legislative initiatives aimed at adapting to modern challenges were discussed.
In his welcoming address to the participants, acting rector of Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Professor Yuri Altudov, emphasized the practical aspects of the issues under consideration, which are of paramount importance in a rapidly changing world.
«It is significant for educational institutions that our students will work in government tomorrow, and their understanding of current issues is critically important.»
«I am confident that the results of our work will be in demand and will benefit the development of our country and the republic. We live in a unified economic, educational, and scientific space in Russia, and it is important to support the state objectives and policies of our leadership,» said Yuri Altudov.
Deputy head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia Andrey Tsyganov congratulated his colleagues on the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Russian Federation’s antimonopoly authorities, emphasizing that the issue of unfair competition and deceptive advertising has remained an important part of Russian competition policy ever since. Over this time, both the objectives and strategies for combating violators of the law have changed.
Andrey Tsyganov highlighted key topics of the conference, such as unfair competition in the digital sphere, including violations on marketplaces and aggressive advertising on social media, as well as improving mechanisms for enforcing antimonopoly legislation against intellectual property rights holders.
Alexey Rusin, head of the Interregional Office of the Federal Financial Monitoring Service for the North Caucasus Federal District, expressed confidence that the knowledge gained by conference participants will contribute to increased transparency and procurement efficiency, budget savings, and the development of fair competition.
First deputy chairman of the Kabardino-Balkarian Government Sergey Govorov emphasized that, in today’s environment, violations of antitrust laws and inappropriate advertising are becoming a powerful tool capable of undermining the stability of entire economic sectors, damaging the business reputation of companies, and, most importantly, causing significant harm to the rights and interests of millions of consumers. The FAS Office for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic will regulate this area in collaboration with regional authorities and public organizations.
The relevance and significance of the scientific and practical conference dedicated to the study of unfair competition and illegal advertising were also highlighted by Zaur Apshev, chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Innovative Development, Tourism, and Entrepreneurship of the Parliament of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic; Emma Braeva, head of the Judicial Panel of the Arbitration Court of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic for Disputes Arising from Administrative and Other Public Statements Zhantemir Kuzhonov, head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia and head of the Department of Competition Law and Antimonopoly Regulation at Kabardino-Balkarian State University; and Anna Kumakhova, head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia and Head of the Competition Law and Antimonopoly Regulation Department at Kabardino-Balkarian State University.
The first session of the conference focused on current issues of unfair competition. Participants examined contemporary challenges faced by businesses in a competitive environment and discussed effective mechanisms for protecting the rights of bona fide market participants.
The relationship between antimonopoly and civil law regulation was also discussed. The speakers emphasized the need to harmonize these two approaches to improve the effectiveness of competition protection.
Experts analyzed successful cases and challenges arising in the application of antitrust legislation within the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as how new technologies, amid the rapidly growing digital economy, impact competition and what measures can be taken to protect the rights of users and sellers.
The second session focused on current issues of advertising regulation and assessing its fairness. Speakers discussed a number of key topics related to legal requirements for the content and design of advertising materials, as well as liability for misleading and false advertising.
The conference, organized by the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, served as a platform for exchanging opinions and developing recommendations for improving the legal environment for business. Participants expressed hope for further cooperation and the holding of similar events in the future to address pressing issues of competition protection in the region and the development of recommendations for improving advertising legislation.