On July 01, 2022, in the online mode the 9th Steering Committee meeting for the Twinning Project for the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (hereinafter – AMCU) “Support to the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in further approximation of legal, procedural and case enforcement practices with EU antitrust and merger control practices” (hereinafter – Project), which is being implemented jointly by a consortium of EU Member States, namely Lithuania, Germany and Romania took place.
The aim of the Twinning Project is to increase the effectiveness, transparency and consistency of the antitrust policy in Ukraine on the basis of closer alignment of national antitrust legislation to the legislation of EU Member States in accordance with the requirements of the Association Agreement between European Union and Ukraine.
Šarūnas Keserauskas, MS Project leader, delivered a welcoming address to the participants of the meeting and presented the agenda.
In turn, Olga Pishchanska, BC Project Leader, welcomed the participants of the meeting and expressed gratitude to the representatives of the European side for effective cooperation within the framework of the Project implementation. Olga Pishchanska focused on the key achievements of the partners in the Project, in particular, stressed that during the last reporting period the work on the development of bylaws to the draft Law № 5431 “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine to improve the activities of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine”, which is recommended for consideration in the second reading at the regular plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, continued, and a meeting with representatives of USAID was held.
At the same time, Šarūnas Pajarskas, RTA, outlined in detail the main results of the Project implementation which were achieved during the reporting period, in particular, 26 (remote) missions with stakeholders were held during 69 working days: 3 missions with 6 working days for horizontal activities (Steering Committee Meeting), 23 missions with 63 working days (regarding the issues of Project implementation), also provided expert advice and assistance in addressing priority issues within the AMCU. Šarūnas Pajarskas identified the main directions of further work on all components and, in turn, he noted that a German expert was involved in the Project, who has special knowledge on issues that arose during the implementation of the main tasks.
During the meeting, the representatives of the AMCU demonstrated the progress of work on the components of the Project, in particular, on blocks “Imposition of penalties” and “Fundamental rights”, and expressed their hopes for further fruitful cooperation.
The participants of the meeting reviewed the work plan, discussed the planned activities for all components and plans for the next reporting period.
The meeting was attended by Project experts, representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine and AMCU.
On behalf of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service Anatolii Sopilka, Head of the Project Management Department and Olena Honcharuk, Senior Consultant of the Twinning Coordination Division of the Unit of Twinning Programme Administration Office activities ensuring took part in the meeting.
For reference: according to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ukraine “On Approval of the Procedure for Initiation, Preparation and Implementation of the Twinning Projects” as of 11 October, 2016 No 700 the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service coordinates the implementation of the institution building instrument of the European Union Twinning in Ukraine. Furthermore, in accordance with relevant legal acts the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service is the coordinator of institution building instrument TAIEX implementation in Ukraine. In order to provide effective coordination of Twinning and TAIEX the Twinning Program Administration Office in Ukraine was established, its functions are performed by the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union.
