The Competition Agency urged oil companies to refrain from announcing price increases/decreases in advance. According to the agency, the public announcement that the price will change by a specific figure – can include sensitive data. According to them, in the case of certain factual circumstances, such a statement may be considered as a risk of alleged violation of competition law.
The Competition Agency's recommendation raised a number of questions for businesses. They said the statement was vague, as it dd not show a specific purpose due to which the recommendation was issued.
According to Zaal Iakobidze, the founder of Senta Petroleum, these forecasts are based on international prices, therefore, this information is already public and can be seen by all interested parties.
Iakobidze says that the mentioned recommendation may be related to avoiding the public alert, the businessman can not look for another explanation for the recommendation.
"When an announcement is made that the price can increase or decrease, it can have a bad effect on people's mood. Perhaps this is how we should understand the statement of the Competition Agency.
I can not take into account the recommendation of the Competition Agency, because it is a very important component in any activity to make a correct forecast, which is followed by both the population and the business sector," said Zaal Iakobidze, the founder of Senta Petroleum.
The head of the Competition Agency Irakli Lekvinadze says that the statement has a preventive nature and does not serve to prohibit anything for companies.
However, he notes that under European law, a public statement that the market price will change by a specific figure is considered as a violation of the law, as there is a risk that companies operating in the market can act jointly.
According to Lekvinadze, this recommendation should be taken into account by all businesses, including bread producers.
"In general, such statements are viewed very strictly by European law and it is considered a possible risk of concerted action. We want to give a preventive character and insure ourselves against possible risks of similar type of action. This does not apply only to companies operating in the field of fuel, in general it applies to absolutely everyone, "- said the head of the Competition Agency Irakli Lekvinadze.
