Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness

Project Summary 

In the Adriatic region, businesses continue to identify high levels of corruption and a lack of transparency as key constraints to the economies’ growth and competitiveness. To enhance competitiveness and integrity, the OECD set up the Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness Project in three pilot countries – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. Gathering government officials, business representatives, civil society and academia, the Project aims to addresses country-specific challenges through Collective Action and international best practices.

Since its launch in 2019, the Project has grown to encompass four additional OECD partner countries beyond the region – Algeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Uzbekistan.

Through this project the OECD seeks to:

• Raise awareness about OECD standards and good practices of anti-corruption, integrity and fair competition for competitiveness with governments, business and civil society

• Build capacity and foster the implementation of concrete OECD recommendations with regard to the transparency and efficiency of anti-corruption and competition authorities

• Promote the latest knowledge on international standards and practices in the area of anti-corruption and integrity for competitiveness in academic curricula

• Encourage the introduction of anti-corruption mechanisms such as the High-level Reporting Mechanism and the Business Ombudsman

The Project is funded by the Siemens Integrity Initiative. 

Events 

2023  

• Nov, Serbia, Academia Meetings on Ongoing Collaboration and Anti-Corruption Legal Clinics
• Nov, Croatia, Academia Meetings on Ongoing Collaboration and Anti-Corruption Legal Clinics
• 10 Nov, Croatia, Workshop on Competition Policy and Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement
• 8 Nov, Serbia, Workshop on Competition Policy
• 10 Nov, Croatia, Workshop on Competition Policy and Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement
• 13 Sep, Virtual, Collective Action Meeting on Strengthening Compliance Mechanisms in SOEs
• 30 Jun, Virtual, Collective Action Meeting on Business Integrity Tools and Business Ombudsman Introduction
• Apr, Serbia, Academia Meetings and Student Lectures on Project Results and Improving Curricula in Support of Fair Competition
• Mar, Croatia, Academia Meetings and Student Lectures on Project Results and Improving Curricula in Support of Fair Competition

2022 

• Nov, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Academia Meetings and Student Lectures on Project Results and Improving Curricula in Support of Fair Competition
  
• 22 Nov, Serbia, Collective Action Meeting in Support of Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness - Meeting Summary 
• 16 Nov, Croatia, Collective Action Meeting in Support of Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness - Meeting Summary 
• 9 Nov, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Collective Action Meeting in Support of Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness - Meeting Summary 
• 30 May, 2nd Academic Training and Lectures on OECD Anti-Bribery Convention & Anti-Corruption Legal Clinics 
• 4 Apr, 1st Academic Training on OECD Key Competition Issues

Project Materials 

Country Profiles

As one of the Project’s key output, the Country Profiles outline the legal and policy frameworks, achievements and challenges to a level playing field in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. They build on extensive OECD data and analysis and propose tailor-made policy recommendations in the areas of anti-corruption, competition and SOE policy.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Croatia
• Serbia

Policy Briefing Notes 

This series aims to raise awareness of OECD tools and practices and offer guidance to improve competition and tackle corruption in the region with a focus on policy areas identified by the Project stakeholders as priority for reform.

• Whistleblower Protection to Fight Corruption
• OECD Recommendations on Open Government
• OECD Recommendations on Competitive Neutrality
• OECD Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying
• Anti-Bribery
• Anti-corruption in State-owned Enterprises
• Collective Action
• Education for Integrity
• High Level Reporting Mechanism (HLRM)
• OECD Competition Assessment Toolkit 
• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
• OECD Public Procurement Principles

Manuals for Policy Makers

The manuals are designed to help policy makers navigate the extensive analysis and policy advice produced as part of the Project. They summarise the main recommendations for each country and point towards more detailed sources and guidance to advance with reform implementation and monitoring. 

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Croatia
• Serbia

Business sector Manuals

• Developing Anti-Corruption Programmes in State-Owned Entreprises: Manual for compliance officers in Croatia and Serbia 
   

Contact:  Hendrik.BOSSHAMMER@oecd.org

2021

• 25 Nov, Global Kick-off Event Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness in six OECD partner countries 
• 9 Dec, Local Kick-off Events Fair Market Conditions for Competitiveness 
• 16-17 Sep, 2nd Series Collective Action Meeting Building Alliances Against Corruption in South East Europe 
• 8 Jun, Launch Event Review of the Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises in Croatia
• 12 May, Regional Roundtable Business Integrity in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
• 25 Feb, 2nd Meeting of the Regional Academic Expert Group

2020 

• 23 Oct, Collective Action Meeting on Reforming State-Owned Enterprises in the Western Balkans 
• 24-25 Sep, Collective Action Meeting on Building Alliances Against Corruption in South East Europe   

2019 

• 19 Nov, Croatia, Project kick-off event and first meeting of the Project Co-ordination Committee -  Press Release