Agenda 2025



Time
November 13, 2025
Location
09:30 -10:00
Registration

Registration / Welcome Coffee


10:00 -10:50
Opening Ceremony | Welcome Speeches
  • Mikheil Sarjveladze   Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia
  • David Songulashvili  Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia
  • Shota Berekashvili   Chairperson of Economic Policy Committee of the
    Parliament of Georgia
  • Giorgi Dgebuadze Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia
  • Teresa Moreira   Head of Competition & Consumer Policies | UNCTAD

10:50 -12:20
Opening Session | Competition and Consumer Protection in a Sectoral Perspective - Results, Achievements and Challenges

Moderator: 

  • Giorgi Abashishvili Founder & CEO of Business Insider Georgia & Economic Forum Georgia

Panellists:

  • Irakli Lekvinadze Chairman of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency;
  • Natia Turnava President of the National Bank of Georgia;
  • Davit Narmania Chairman of the National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission of Georgia;
  • Ekaterine Tsereteli Deputy Head of the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia;
  • Vakhtang Abashidze Commissioner of Communications Commission of Georgia.

13:00 -13:45
Keynote Speakers

Competition and Consumer Protection Policies

  • Teresa Moreira Head of Competition & Consumer Policies | UNCTAD
  • Brigitte Acoca Head of the Consumer Policy Unit, OECD

14:45 -16:15
Competition Policy in Regulated Sectors | Challenges and Opportunities

Moderator

  •  Levan Kalandadze Deputy Chairman | GCCA

Panelists:

  • Shahla Eyvaz-Zada Head of the Legal Acts Sector of the Legal Department  | State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control of Republic of Azerbaijan;
  • Ekaterine Sitchinava  Head of Telecom Market Regulations Department  | Communications Commission of Georgia;
  • Nikoloz Sumbadze  First Deputy Director of Market Monitoring Department | Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC)
  • Medea  Akolashvili     Head of Competition Division, Legal Department  | National Bank of Georgia;
  • Vakh­tang Charaia Vice-Rector, Dean of the School of Business and Management | Grigol Robakidze University

14:45 -16:15
Building Fair Markets | Protecting Children and Vulnerable Consumers

Moderator 

  • Ana Candida Muniz Cipriano Legal Officer of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch  | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Panelists:

  • Riccarda Weissenberger  Policy Officer, Federal Ministry for Justice and Consumer Protection | Germany;
  • Kwun Seonhwa Head of Team, Insurance and Medical Affairs Team, Seoul Gangwon Regional Office | Korea Consumer Agency;
  • Amati Amarovi Deputy Head of the Consumers  Protection Department | GCCA;
  • Davit Bibileishvili Board Member of the Georgian Disability Network, Head of the Services Department | Georgian Blind Union;
  • Tinatin Gujabidze Chief Specialist of the Financial Education and Strategic Development Department  | National Bank of Georgia.

14:45 -16:15
Consumer Protection Today | Key Developments and Challenges in Georgia and Beyond

Moderator 

  • Nino Niavadze Head of Legal Department, Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia

Panelists:

  • Gvantsa Chkheidze Communications Ombudsman of Georgia;
  • Tsisana Kavelashvili First Deputy Head of the Disputes and Services Department at the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC);
  • Irine Ioseliani Head of Market Conduct Supervision Division, National Bank of Georgia;
  • Mariam Nikoladze Head of the Consumer Protection and Financial Education Division at the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia;
  • Levan Molashvili E-commerce Expert, Georgia.

16:30 -18:00
From Prevention to Enforcement | Rethinking Ex Ante and Ex Post in Competition Law

Moderator

  • Akari Yamamoto - Bonenfant Legal Officer of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch, UN Trade and Development

Panelists:

  • Serene Seet Director of the Enforcement Division, Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS);
  • Arthur Buduryan Partner at Legelata Law Firm, Armenia;
  • Salome Kavtaradze Head of the Legal Department | GCCA;
  • Nick Nanuashvili Legal Director of the Business Association of Georgia;
  • Tamta Margvelashvili Director of Competition, Capital and Financial Markets Practice | Nodia, Urumashvili & Partners.

16:30 -18:00
The Future of Mergers | Navigating New Global Realities

Moderator

  • Levan Vepkhvadze   Executive Director of Business Association of Georgia (BAG)

Panelists:

  • Durim Kraja Member of the Commission | Albanian Competition Authority;
  • Cosmin Belacurencu Member of the Board, Secretary of State at the | Romanian Competition Council;
  • Evrim Özgül KAZAK Head of External Relations and Competition Advocacy Department | Turkish Competition Authority;
  • Giorgi Kedelidze Head of the Strategic Markets Monitoring Department | GCCA.

16:30 -18:00
Consumers International Panel| The Role of NGOs and Civil Society in Consumer Protection

Moderator

  • Érico de Melo  International and Government Engagement Lead, Consumers International

Panelists:

  • Ana Candida Muniz Cipriano Legal Officer of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD);
  • Dmitriy Yanin Chairman of the International Confederation of Consumer Societies (KONFOP);
  • Tamar Kerdzaia Lawyer, Representative of the NGO “Women for the Future”;
  • Madona Koidze Chairperson of the NGO “Georgian Consumers Federation”;
  • Sophie Okhanashvili   Journalist,  Host of a Business Program | Rustavi 2.

Time
November 14, 2025
Location
11:00 -12:15
High-Ranking Panel Discussion | Regulation and Innovation: Finding the Right Balance in Competition Policy

Moderator

  • Maria Pilar Canedo Arrillaga Senior Expert at the OECD’s Competition Division, Commissioner of the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission

Panelists:

  • Mirta Kapural President of the Competition Council, Croatian Competition Agency; (Online)
  • Mark Panczel Member of the National Competition Council, Hungary;
  • Daniel Mańkowski Vice-President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, Poland (Online)
  • Akari  YamamotoBonenfant Legal Officer of Competition and Consumer Policies Branch, UN Trade and Development;
  • Ettore Maria Lombardi Professor of Private Law and Digital Society (Online) .

12:45 -14:15
High-Ranking Panel Discussion | The Role of International Organisations and Cross-Border Cooperation in Consumer Protection

Moderator

  • Elena Gasol Ramos Digital Regulations and Global Knowledge Lead, World Bank Group

Panelists:

  • Teresa Moreira Head of Competition & Consumer Policies | UNCTAD;
  • Brigitte Acoca Head of the Consumer Policy Unit, OECD
  • Érico de Melo International and Government Engagement Lead, Consumers International
  • Sven Gallasch Senior Lecturer at Deakin Law School, Australia;
  • Sergo Sanikidze Head of the Consumer Protection Department, GCCA.

14:15 -15:00
Panel Discussion: Competition and Consumer Protection in the Healthcare Sector

Panelists:

  • Mikheil Sarjveladze Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia
  • Irakli Lekvinadze Chairman of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency

14:15 -15:00
Sectoral Research Presentation

Anti-Dumping Practice in Georgia: Insights from Case Experience and Sectoral Vulnerability Analysis

Presenter:  Elene Tskhomelidze Head of the Anti-Dumping Measures Department | GCCA


16:00 -16:15
Signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Competition Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency

.


16:15 -16:30
Signing ceremony of the Cooperation Action Plan between the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control of Azerbaijan and the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency

.


16:30 -17:00
Bilateral meeting between the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

.


17:00 -17:30
Bilateral meeting between the Georgian Competition and Consumer Protection Agency and the OECD Consumer Policy Division

.


Time
November 15, 2025 - Day1
Location
10:00 -20:00
Closing Remarks & Cultural Tour

.