This week, from May 19 to 23, a delegation from Ukraine's Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU) visited Latvia for an experience exchange aimed at strengthening institutional capacity and gaining practical insights into the implementation of competition and state aid policies within an EU member state.

During the visit, AMCU representatives met with the Latvian Competition Authority to discuss crucial competition law and policy issues that are essential for reinforcing the legal environment in line with EU standards. The Ukrainian delegation gained insights into topics such as the detection and prevention of prohibited agreements, assessment of abuse of dominant position cases, and the application of norms regarding competition neutrality and the prohibition of unfair trading practices.

In addition to their visit to the Competition Authority, the Ukrainian delegation also met with representatives from the Ministry of Finance to focus on state aid issues, and engaged with officials from the Ministry of Economics and other institutions to deepen their understanding of how Latvia has implemented reforms and aligned its legislation with EU norms.

“The visit of our Ukrainian colleagues underscores the importance of international cooperation in the reform implementation process. We are pleased to share Latvia's experience and hope it will be beneficial for the enhancement of AMCU's operations and Ukraine's progress towards adopting the EU legal framework,” stated Ieva Šmite, acting chairwoman of the Competition Authority.

The experience exchange week was part of the COMPASA project, which aims to support the reform of Ukraine's competition and state aid systems to ensure compliance with EU requirements. The project is being implemented by WYG Consulting Ltd. in collaboration with the Romanian Competition Authority and runs from 2023 to 2026.

During the visit, the delegation familiarized themselves with Latvia's approach to the application of competition law, mechanisms for controlling state aid, and aspects of institutional cooperation. This knowledge transfer is vital for strengthening AMCU's operations and successfully implementing reforms in Ukraine, especially in preparation for the potential future accession as a full EU member state.