ADB AND OECD EXPERTS HAVE VERIFIED THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A STUDY ON THE REGULATION OF KAZAKHSTAN'S COMMODITY MARKETS.

The mission of experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), dedicated to discussing and verifying the preliminary results of a study of Kazakhstan's regulatory environment using the Product Market Regulation (PMR) methodology, has ended.

The PMR methodology is an internationally recognized analytical tool that makes it possible to assess the level of regulatory barriers to entry into commodity markets and the degree of government influence on the development of competition.

The study was the first comprehensive review of Kazakhstan's regulatory environment since 2018, which covers the institutional reforms carried out during this period.

As part of the mission, the experts held a series of working meetings with representatives of government agencies and organizations. During the consultations, the preliminary findings of the diagnostic report and the approaches used in conducting the PMR assessment were presented.

Special attention was paid to the issues of law enforcement practice in the areas of state ownership, corporate governance, public procurement, licensing and the administrative burden on businesses. In addition, the experts examined in detail regulatory barriers in key sectors of the economy, including the electric power industry, the gas industry, telecommunications, rail, road and aviation transport, as well as digital markets.

"The PMR study is not just statistics, but the basis for further reforms. Our goal is to eliminate hidden barriers, increase regulatory transparency and create truly equal conditions for all market participants," said Rustam Akhmetov, First Deputy Chairman of the APDC.

Preliminary indicators for Kazakhstan have already been formed. During the mission, the experts verified the collected data, as well as clarified certain provisions of regulatory regulation in cooperation with relevant government agencies and organizations. The obtained results will become an analytical basis for further improvement of the state policy in the field of competition development and will allow taking into account the recommendations of international experts in the preparation of subsequent reforms.

The next stage will be the completion of the study. The experts will review the questionnaires based on the information received during the working meetings, which will ensure the most objective assessment of Kazakhstan's regulatory environment in comparison with the OECD countries and other developing economies.

The project is of an interdepartmental nature and is being implemented with the active coordination of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.