BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 3. Uzbekistan’s
Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee convened a
roundtable discussion on antitrust regulation in the digital
economy, bringing together representatives of domestic, foreign and
global digital platforms, as well as experts from the World Bank,
Trend reports via the
committee.
The event, titled “Antitrust Regulation of Digital Platform
Operators: International Experience, Trends and Recommendations for
the Republic of Uzbekistan,” focused on emerging approaches to
regulating digital markets and strengthening competition in the
country’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Opening the discussion, Deputy Chairman of the Committee F.
Karabayev outlined the theoretical, legal and institutional
foundations of antitrust oversight for digital platforms. He
reviewed international regulatory practices, current global trends
and prospects for further improving Uzbekistan’s competitive
environment as digital markets continue to grow.
A keynote presentation was delivered by Alexey Ivanov, Director
of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Center and a World Bank
expert. Ivanov examined recent developments in legislation
governing digital platforms, highlighted new regulatory approaches
emerging internationally and discussed their role in maintaining
fair competition across digital markets.
Participants focused on ways to encourage innovation while
ensuring a level playing field for market participants and
protecting consumer rights. Discussions also addressed the need to
modernize existing antitrust tools to better reflect the realities
of platform-based business models.
Among the key issues considered were proposals to revise
criteria used to determine market dominance among digital
platforms, introduce specialized regulatory procedures for global
technology platforms, remove barriers that restrict competition and
lower obstacles to market entry for new participants. Attendees
also explored options for strengthening the legal and institutional
framework governing digital competition.
According to organizers, the recommendations and views expressed
during the roundtable will help shape future competition policy
reforms in Uzbekistan. Officials said the discussions would
contribute to incorporating international best practices into the
country’s regulatory framework and support efforts to ensure open,
transparent and competitive digital markets.
