Siniša Milošević, Member of the Council of the Commission for the Protection of Competition, took part as a panelist on competition policy at the Regional Legal Business Forum 2025, the leading annual event for corporate lawyers in the region, held this year in Zlatibor.

The discussion on the competition protection panel addressed the position, mandate, and key challenges confronting competition authorities in the region. The organizers highlighted the topic, “The Role of Competition Authorities: Supervision or Regulation?” as particularly timely, reflecting ongoing public debates about the extent to which competition authorities can intervene in markets—such as setting margins or prices—and whether such actions fall within their mandate. The panel also examined whether these bodies primarily regulate or supervise markets, whether they perform a single or multiple functions, and the extent to which they can address specific market inefficiencies.

Despite ongoing efforts to advance competition law, competition authorities are frequently subject to public criticism for matters beyond their mandate, often accompanied by unrealistic or unfounded expectations and inaccurate information regarding their activities and procedural timelines. The panel thus offered an excellent opportunity to address such issues directly with institutional representatives and to promote a deeper understanding of the significance of competition protection.

The panel also featured the participation of: The panel featured Karolina Andonovska, Secretary General of the Competition Commission of the Republic of North Macedonia; Dr. Nebojša Jovović, Director of the Agency for the Protection of Competition of the Republic of Montenegro; and Vanja Malidžan, Member of the Competition Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The discussion was moderated by Zoran Šoljaga, Partner at the law firm Moravčević, Vojnović & Partners.

The three-day gathering, organized by the Association of Corporate Lawyers of Serbia in strategic partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, drew over 500 participants from the region. The attendees included 50 panellists, more than 400 corporate lawyers, heads of legal departments, attorneys, judges, notaries, as well as representatives from state institutions and the academic community.

Following an ex officio investigation into a potential infringement of competition law, initiated on April 4, 2024, against Metabo Centar Kragujevac and KAPRO INDUSTRIES LTD, Israel, the Commission determined that the aforementioned undertakings entered into a restrictive agreement with the objective of substantially restricting, distorting, and preventing competition, as set forth under Article 10. Consequently, the Commission has adopted appropriate measures to safeguard competition.

The proceedings were initiated upon receipt of information indicating that Metabo Centar Kragujevac, acting as the importer of mechanical and laser measuring instruments manufactured by Kapro, exerted pressure—through the manufacturer KAPRO INDUSTRIES LTD of Israel—on suppliers of Kapro-branded tools who serve other market participants in the Republic of Serbia, compelling them to discontinue their deliveries. This conduct effectively resulted in the elimination of competition within the wholesale market for these tools.

Based on the aforesaid, the Commission has reasonably concluded that Metabo Centar and Kapro Israel engaged in practices aimed at, or having the effect of, eliminating competition against Metabo Centar in the wholesale distribution of Kapro-branded tools within the Republic of Serbia. This conduct resulted in a significant reduction of market alternatives, compelling purchasers to pay inflated prices for these tools compared to what would have been possible had multiple distributors been available.

It was further determined that the agreements entered into by Metabo Centar Kragujevac with its customers contained clauses prohibiting the resale of Kapro-branded tools below their purchase price. Such restrictions may function as a mechanism to hinder imports, thereby preserving the pricing of Kapro tools at a controlled level. Furthermore, this practice constitutes an independent infringement of competition law through the imposition of minimum resale prices.

Representatives of the Commission for the Protection of Competition participated in a consultation held in Belgrade, organized by the Association of Corporate Lawyers in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (PKS).

The topic was “Business Compliance with Competition Protection Regulations,” during which members of the association discussed the legal framework, the objectives of competition protection rules, the institutional setup, and the jurisdiction of the Commission for the Protection of Competition. The discussion also covered specific competition-related risks that should be identified and avoided in the compliance process, the importance of ensuring compliance, and the guidelines for developing compliance programs with competition protection regulations — introduced by the Commission at the end of 2021.

This consultation is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness among market participants about the need for and methods of achieving compliance with competition protection regulations.

On October 8, 2025, the National Academy for Public Administration in Belgrade hosted a seminar dedicated to pro-competitive regulation.

With Serbia’s regulatory landscape constantly evolving, the demand for clear and effective pro-competitive policies is growing. Experts from the European Union led the event, sharing insights on how to improve current regulations and develop new ones that foster market competitiveness and encourage fair competition. Key topics covered during the seminar included:

Identifying regulatory obstacles that hinder competition
Enhancing collaboration between regulatory and supervisory bodies and legislative institutions
Promoting a more competitive Serbian market through regulations that protect consumers, safeguard the market, and strengthen the economy
This event was held within the framework of the “EU Support for the Development of Serbia’s Internal Market” (EU4IM) project, which aims to reinforce Serbian institutions and harmonize domestic legislation with EU market standards. The project is being implemented by FIAP from Spain, in partnership with the Slovak Development Agency for Cooperation (AICS).

The Commission for Protection of Competition and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIAP), a public agency of the Kingdom of Spain, have signed an agreement on the donation of advanced forensic software.
The donation was made within the framework of the project “EU Support to Serbia’s Internal Market,” funded under the European Union’s IPA III instrument. Within this initiative, FIAP (Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas, F.S.P.) serves as the Commission’s main project partner.

The deployment of this forensic software will further strengthen the Commission’s operational capacity to conduct dawn raids and, consequently, to detect and substantiate infringement of competition law. This enhancement is particularly important in light of the increasingly dynamic nature of market structures and business models, many of which are transitioning into the digital domain.

The Commission continuously monitors developments in both domestic and global competition policy and remains committed to enhancing its technical resources and professional expertise. Through strategic partnerships and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies, the Commission seeks to ensure the effective enforcement of competition rules in a rapidly evolving market environment.