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ComCom Member Vakhtang Abashidze Delivers a Summary of ComCom Projects at the International Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection
Georgia is hosting the III International Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection, which has been organised by the Communications Commission, the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency, National Bank of Georgia, the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, and the Insurance State Supervision Service. The opening session of the event, which focussed on the achievements, results and challenges in the field of competition and consumer protection, was attended by ComCom member Vakhtang Abashidze and the heads of other regulatory authorities. During the panel session, Mr. Abashidze highlighted the projects implemented by ComCom with regards to consumer protection, promotion of competition, and development of media literacy.
During his speech, Mr. Abashidze highlighted the comprehensive study of the telecom market carried out by ComCom together with EU experts over a period of two years. According to him, the project served to improve competition on the telecom market, provide affordable and diverse services to customers, and bring Georgia's regulatory framework closer to the EU framework in accordance with the obligations assumed under the Association Agreement. The study determined that the Georgian telecom market required regulatory intervention, and identified an operator with significant market power. In order to eliminate competition problems on the market, ComCom imposed specific obligations on that operator.
During the conference, Vakhtang Abashidze also talked about the benchmarking analysis implemented by ComCom together with EU experts in parallel with the comprehensive study. The aim of the analysis was to compare the prices of existing telecom services in Georgia to similar figures in EU countries. It was determined that the prices of low-speed/low-volume and medium-speed/medium-volume services on the Georgian mobile and fixed markets are similar to the average EU prices or in some cases lower, while high-volume/high-speed services are more expensive. “The results of the benchmarking analysis will be improved through the decisions made by the Commission on the basis of the comprehensive study. It will help enhance competition by removing entry barriers on the fixed and mobile service markets and by creating alternative offers. Regulatory mechanisms will ensure that Georgian consumers, like their European counterparts, can enjoy high-volume and high-speed services at an affordable price,” Vakhtang Abashidze stated.
Mr. Abashidze also highlighted the auctions held by the Commission for the implementation of 5G internet. Last year’s auction was won by Cellfie Mobile, while Magticom was the winner this year. The operators obtained the appropriate licenses to implement 5G and provide faster and higher-quality services to users.
During the panel session, Vakhtang Abashidze talked about ComCom’s significant achievements in the field of media literacy development, highlighting the results of the project to integrate media literacy into formal education: “This year, the number of public schools that have started teaching media literacy as a separate optional subject has increased unprecedentedly and now totals 227. It is also noteworthy that 91% of the 227 schools are public schools in the Georgian regions. These are the results of the project to integrate media literacy into formal education, which was launched in 2022 through the efforts of the Communications Commission, UNICEF, and the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia,” Mr. Abashidze stated. He further explained that during the semester-long optional class, 10th, 11th and 12th grade pupils will learn about the language of media and information, information processing and disinformation. Within the scope of the project, the Commission carried out research on media literacy needs and devised an educational standard, teaching module and textbook, which have been used to train over 2000 teachers across Georgia in teaching media literacy.
On 20-23 November, Georgia is hosting a three-day event on competition and consumer protection. Topics of discussion will include competition law, consumer protection mechanisms, and activities carried out by regulatory agencies.
