Davit Narmania, Chairman of the Georgiam National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, presented a report at the second International Conference on Competition and Consumer Rights Protection and introduced the competition development phases  in the energy sector and current challenges to the 300 participants of the conference.

"Promoting the development of competition in the energy market is one of the priority directions of the Commission, which is extremely important for the complete liberalization of the market. In accordance with the obligations imposed by the legislation and European Directives, the Commission has developed more than 30 normative acts aimed at establishing competitive and transparent relations between the participants of the new market. One of the main functions of the Commission is energy market monitoring, timely detection and elimination of market manipulation and abuse of dominant position We actively cooperate with the Georgian National Competition Agency in this direction as well to fundamentally protect the interests of energy market participants.

It should be noted that the role of the consumer in the new energy market is important. In accordance with the requirements of the EU 4th Energy Package, the main focus of the overall energy market is the consumer with the status of "a prosumer". One of the main directions of the new regulations is to support and stimulate joint and customer-oriented energy actions in the energy sector, to promote the formation of energy unions. Energy Unions provide consumers with a unique opportunity to become renewable energy producers and offer services to market participants. The introduction of European Regulations will give Georgian citizens more opportunities to become prosumers", said Davit Narmania.

On November 16-18, the second International Conference "Competition and Consumers Rights" will be held under the joint organization of five regulatory agencies - the Georgian National Competition Agency, the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission,  the Communications Commission, the State Insurance Supervision Service of Georgia and the National Bank of Georgia. The purpose of the event is to strengthen the competition policy and improve consumer rights mechanisms in Georgia.

The conference was opened by the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili; Minister of IDPs from Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Protection, Zurab Azarashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Sectoral Economy and Economic Policy Committee, Davit Songhulashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration Committee, Mikheil Sarjveladze; Head of Competition and Consumer Policy, UNCTAD - Teresa Moreira, Head of Competition Division, OECD - Ori Schwartz.

Delegations of up to 20 countries and the managers of agencies working in the competition and consumer sector of up to 10 different countries, members of the government and parliamentary teams, local and international experts, representatives of public agencies, regulatory bodies, academia and the business sector will participate in the conference. At the conference, where 9 thematic sessions are held, up to 50 local and international experts, in a joint format, discuss the results and challenges in competition and consumer rights protection.