Legislation eases sanctions for small economic impact violations of Competition Law

On September 4, Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law aimed at improving the work of the Competition Promotion and Сonsumer Protection Committee. 

From now on, the Committee must approve regulatory legal acts related to providing state assistance to businesses. Previously, this requirement only applied to documents concerning competition in the goods and financial markets.

In addition, the responsibility for violations of competition laws is being softened. If a business entity commits a violation for the first time with a low economic impact, financial sanctions will not be applied.

In such cases, the violator will receive a warning from the Committee and must comply with an order (recommendation, decision) to correct the violations. Cases of violations with minimal economic impact will be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The amendments, which include the liberalization of responsibility for violations of antitrust laws, were passed by the Legislative Chamber in March. On May 18, the Senate approved the draft law.