On 1 November 2023, German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) organized the next AHK Impuls event for its member companies. The honorary guest speaker, Mr Mammad Aslan Abbasbeyli, Head of the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, spoke on the topic of “Advancing Competition and Public Procurement: Regulatory Reforms”. Following this, Mr Ahmad Hasanov, Head of the Public Procurement Department at the State Service for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control, conducted a workshop with business representatives.

The event was initiated with the opening speech of the Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, Mr Tobias Baumann, who welcomed the member companies and introduced the speakers before handing over the floor to an honorary guest of the event, Mr Mammad Aslan Abbasbeyli.

In his speech, Mr Abbasbeyli welcomed the guests and highlighted the State Service's active role in government-private sector engagement. He emphasized their commitment to building a sustainable economy and fostering growth through the private sector. Mr. Abbasbeyli also stressed the importance of clear and open regulatory formats and explained their efforts in simplifying and interpreting complex regulations.

He discussed the four main regulatory mandates designed to benefit consumers and support businesses, including competition code, public procurement, quality, and consumer protection. Mr Abbasbeyli announced significant reforms in the competition legislation, updating outdated laws to reflect the current economic reality. He also introduced a government program to improve the competitive environment, emphasizing the collective responsibility of various government agencies.

Additionally, Mr Abbasbeyli mentioned efforts to educate the younger generation about competition economics to prepare them for future careers in the business world. Finally, he outlined key features of the new public procurement law, including expanded scope, digitalization, budget transparency, blacklisting of process-manipulating businesses, framework agreements, and a waiting period for potential complaints.

Then, Mr Tobias Baumann gave the floor to the honorary guest speaker of the event, Mr Ahmad Hasanov.

In his speech, Mr Ahmad Hasanov extended a warm welcome to the esteemed guests and delivered an insightful presentation on the implementation of the new public procurement law. During his address, he covered a range of topics, including the historical evolution of the law, the importance of compliance with legal provisions, and the various updates and enhancements made to the legislation to ensure its contemporary relevance.

After his speech, Mr Hasanov answered questions raised by the AHK Azerbaijan members and expressed his gratitude to the Chamber for the given opportunity to have direct dialogue with the representatives of relevant sectors. The event was concluded with a networking lunch.