Kazakh PM Chairs Commission on Economic Demonopolization Meeting in Line with President’s Instructions
Алима Муслиманова Журналист El.kz
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting of the Commission on Economic Demonopolization with the participation of heads of central government agencies, the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition, and JSC “Samruk-Kazyna” Sovereign Wealth Fund. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of tasks set by the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on further liberalization of the economy and the development of competition, including the removal of barriers in commodity and digital markets, and the improvement of regulation in healthcare, telecommunications, electric power, and natural monopoly services, El.kz citesprimeminister.kz.
The Commission reviewed the progress of implementing the Decree of the Head of State “On Measures to Liberalize the Economy.” One of the priority areas is reducing the time for bringing medicines to market from 3–5 years to 100 working days. The Ministry of Healthcare is introducing a composite public service based on the “single window” principle, which combines the key stages of registration and examination of medicines. To ensure broad public access to innovative medicine and technology transfer, the Commission considered the introduction of end-to-end digitalization and the parallel inclusion of medicines and medical devices in all key procurement lists.
Attention was also given to the verification of mobile devices required for entering data into the identification codes database. Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev informed about the institutional work being carried out under the draft Law “On the Development of the Telecommunications and Data Center Market.” Clear legislative закрепление of the verification procedure will ensure the stability of the registration system and the reliable functioning of digital infrastructure.
In addition, a report was presented on the work to develop the electronic document management systems market and to create a competitive environment in the digital sector.
The meeting also discussed the functioning of the Single Electricity Purchaser, introduced to attract investment, commission new capacities, level out tariff burdens, and resolve issues related to access roads.
Comments on measures to liberalize various sectors of the economy were provided by First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Minister of Industry and Construction Yersayyn Nagaspayev, Chairman of the Board of JSC “Samruk-Kazyna” Nurlan Zhakupov, and others.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov issued several instructions to government agencies and organizations:
- Ministry of Finance: together with interested government agencies, update the State Property Register, while establishing a regulatory requirement for its periodic updating, taking into account the subsidiary companies of the Fund and holdings.
- Ministry of National Economy: together with the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition and other government agencies, prepare proposals to cancel norms that restrict the freedom of price and tariff formation, with the exception of monopoly markets; approve Roadmaps for privatization objects in order to increase their investment attractiveness; together with the Ministry of Energy, synchronize the timelines for abolishing cross-subsidization of electricity and utility services in accordance with the Decree on Economic Liberalization.
- Ministry of Healthcare: accelerate the digitalization of processes for including medicines and medical devices in the procurement lists of the Single Distributor and outpatient drug provision.
- Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development: adopt legislative amendments on mobile device verification; together with the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition, continue work to improve the procedures for selecting participants in electronic document management.
- Ministry of National Economy: adopt legislative amendments for the independent identification of natural monopoly entities.
- JSC “Samruk-Kazyna” Sovereign Wealth Fund: together with the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition, continue further work on improving approaches within the Fund’s procurement procedures.
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