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Bill on competition protection prerequisite for EU accession
Belgrade,
19 August 2005
Serbian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Services Bojan Dimitrijevic said today that the Bill on protection of competition that will be discussed in the parliament on August 29, secures the equality of all market players and encourages economic efficiency.
Bojan Dimitrijevic
Speaking at a session of the Serbian parliament's Committee for European Integration, Minister Dimitrijevic said that this law is one of the prerequisites for the conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.
According to Dimitrijevic, one of the main details in the law, which is fully harmonised with EU legislation, is that it establishes, as an independent body, a commission for protection of competition, which is accountable to the Serbian parliament.
The Minister said that the government adopted at yesterday's session the amendments that additionally increase the commission's independence, as required by the European Commission. In this way, the remaining formal objections by the EU to this law have been removed.
The law stipulates that the commission prevents and punishes behaviour that restricts competition, Dimitrijevic said and voiced hope that the commission will be set up by the end of the year.
Dimitrijevic stated that the existing Anti-Monopoly Law is dated, that it does not meet EU standards, and that it enables the creation of new monopolies in the market, as well as the misuse of existing monopolies.
He added that the Bill on advertising, which the Serbian National Assembly will discuss at the session on August 29, prohibits tobacco and alcohol advertising, excluding wine and beer, which are considered food and therefore will be permitted to advertise on television and other electronic and printed media.
The law also envisages that tobacco and alcohol producers would be prohibited from sponsorship of sporting and cultural events, and can only be sponsors of economic gatherings.
The bill also regulates the advertising of products for children and stipulates the prohibition of products that influence children’s behaviour that could morally and physically threaten them, said Dimitrijevic, and added that advertising messages intended for children will not be allowed to contain scenes of violence, including scenes of violence in cartoons.
The Minister pointed out that television series and sporting games will not be allowed to be interrupted by commercials in the future, and added that the bill envisages that the commercial space in public services amounts to 10 percent of the total broadcasting time, and 20 percent in commercial media.
According to Dimitrijevic, one of the main details in the law, which is fully harmonised with EU legislation, is that it establishes, as an independent body, a commission for protection of competition, which is accountable to the Serbian parliament.
The Minister said that the government adopted at yesterday's session the amendments that additionally increase the commission's independence, as required by the European Commission. In this way, the remaining formal objections by the EU to this law have been removed.
The law stipulates that the commission prevents and punishes behaviour that restricts competition, Dimitrijevic said and voiced hope that the commission will be set up by the end of the year.
Dimitrijevic stated that the existing Anti-Monopoly Law is dated, that it does not meet EU standards, and that it enables the creation of new monopolies in the market, as well as the misuse of existing monopolies.
He added that the Bill on advertising, which the Serbian National Assembly will discuss at the session on August 29, prohibits tobacco and alcohol advertising, excluding wine and beer, which are considered food and therefore will be permitted to advertise on television and other electronic and printed media.
The law also envisages that tobacco and alcohol producers would be prohibited from sponsorship of sporting and cultural events, and can only be sponsors of economic gatherings.
The bill also regulates the advertising of products for children and stipulates the prohibition of products that influence children’s behaviour that could morally and physically threaten them, said Dimitrijevic, and added that advertising messages intended for children will not be allowed to contain scenes of violence, including scenes of violence in cartoons.
The Minister pointed out that television series and sporting games will not be allowed to be interrupted by commercials in the future, and added that the bill envisages that the commercial space in public services amounts to 10 percent of the total broadcasting time, and 20 percent in commercial media.
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