ANTIMONOPOLY REGULATION: HISTORICAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AND APPROACHES TO DEFINING THE ROLE OF THE STATE IN THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Abstract

Antimonopoly regulation is one of the forms of state regulation of the economy, representing a complex of antimonopoly measures and mechanisms for their implementation. In different countries, antimonopoly regulation has its distinctive features and accents, which is associated with the peculiarities of national economies’ development and functioning. With state regulation of the economy a wide range of tasks is set. They can relate to prices, income, profit distribution, changes in macroeconomic indicators, etc. The chronological study of the antimonopoly regulation development makes it possible to single out several stages of its formation, each of which has its own historical place, content and tactics for implementing the policy of antimonopoly regulation. In the Republic of Belarus, the development of antimonopoly regulation was carried out in several stages. The creation of a single independent centralized system of the antimonopoly authority in the Republic of Belarus is due to the need to protect fair competition, create civilized and effective pricing control tools. Analysis and synthesis of antimonopoly regulation experience of application in developed countries enables us to single out such main objectives of antimonopoly regulation as neutralizing monopolistic power and various forms of its manifestation, creating conditions for the development of fair competition, improving public welfare, and ensuring sustainable economic growth. The main principles of antimonopoly regulation are to prevent elimination of competition by authorities, their use of the principle of a rational approach in applying antimonopoly laws, control over the processes of concentration, legality, transparency and publicity in the actions of antimonopoly authorities, promoting the formation of market relations on the basis of competition and entrepreneurship. The achievement of these goals involves the formation of an effective regulatory framework of antimonopoly regulation, the adoption of measures to prevent, restrict and curb the abuse of authority by market entities which take advantage of their dominant position, the intensification of work to prevent and curb unfair competition, control of the level of concentration, reduction of entry barriers to the market for new subjects, as well as ensuring effective control the behavior of entities with dominant position, control of pricing, ensuring protection of consumers rights, etc. The purpose of antimonopoly regulation is to provide conditions for the development of fair competition, creating a pricing mechanism, the functioning of which would be provided with freedom of choice and competition. Such a mechanism encourages market participants to be in a state of competition among themselves and at the same time be guided by it for making their business decisions.