Raksha Sharda
CUTS International
1st National Reference Group (NRG) Meeting, India
24th July, 2013
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Introduction
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Project Progress & Planned Activities
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Role of National Reference Group Members
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Goal
To better demonstrate measurable benefits from effective
competition reforms in DCs, for ensuring long-term support for
competition
Objectives
 Enhance understanding of benefits from competition reforms
in DCs (consumers & producers)
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Develop & test a methodology to assess efficacy of
competition reforms in benefitting consumers and producers
in specific markets
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Advocate to key actors (National & International) for greater
support to competition reforms in key markets
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Sustain momentum on competition reforms and take it
forward
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Outputs
 Documented evidence of benefits from competition reforms
in key markets

Dialogues involving multiple stakeholders on benefits of
competition reforms in DCs

Strategy for capacity building of DC competition agencies and
sector regulators

Framework (Tool) for monitoring and evaluating the process
of competition reforms in DCs
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Demand from elsewhere (other sectors and/or countries) for
similar exercise
Outcome
Greater attention and impetus for competition reforms in key DC
markets resulting in consumer and producer benefits
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Phase I (Diagnostic Phase): Assess implications of
competition reforms in specific markets; identify
benefits and causes of existing consumer &
producer concerns – RESEARCH & CONSULTATIONS
Phase II (Design Phase): Design a composite
methodology to quantify (actual & potential)
benefits of competition reforms– DESIGN &
CONSULTATIONS
Phase III (Validation Phase): Test the veracity of this
methodology in micro-locations in project
countries; and use results for advocacy –
ADVOCACY & PUBLIC EDUCATION
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Access: Have the reach of goods and services to
consumers in areas where they were not available
earlier (distributive efficiency)?
Quality/Price: Are better quality goods and services
available for consumers? Have prices increased
appreciably of such good/services?
Choice: Are new products available to consumers? Are
new firms entering the market offering more variety?
Price: Have prices changed, either increased or
decreased?
Time savings: Do offered goods and services help save
time for consumers?
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Access to essential services: Are firms able to easily
access public service and infrastructure networks (e.g.
electricity, water, etc.)?
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Free movement of goods and services: Is mobility
affected by policies, practices (inputs & outputs), or
infrastructure constraints?
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Predictability of regulatory actions: Are legislations
enforced by autonomous yet accountable institutions?
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Cost savings: Have new innovation, such as improved
ICT tools, lead to reduction in costs?
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Fair market processes: Are new firms able to enter
the market easily, and existing firms able to close
business effectively?
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Level-playing field: Is the principle of ‘competitive
neutrality’ observed between private/public
enterprises?
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Transparency in market: Do market regulators have
well laid out policies and predictable
implementation processes?
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STAPLE FOOD
CONSUMER
WELFARE
PASSENGER TRANSPORT
- Availability of good quality
- Availability of good quality transport
staple food.
services to ordinary consumers within
- Change in prices of staple food
city (intra-city) to get to workplace,
for ordinary consumers
markets, college/university on a daily
basis & also on busy inter-city routes
- Change in prices
PRODUCER
WELFARE
- Participation of private entities
- Access to road networks for a new
in procurement, storage and
player (operator) in a specific
distribution of staple food
geographic market for providing such
- Change in prices of inputs and
services
outputs
- Change in bus fares
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Program Level at the Head Quarters
 Implementation Team
 Project Advisory Committee (PAC)
Country Level
 Country Partner Organisation
 National Reference Group (NRG)
 National Entities: Competition/Sector Regulator,
Business Associations, Research Organisation/CSO,
Media
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Inception Meeting: Countries & Sector selection
Review of literature & Fact Finding in project countries
Opening Meeting in project countries: April to May, 2013
Outline of Diagnostic Country Report (DCR)
DCR Research Methodology
Review of DCR Methodology by PAC members
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Finalise the DCR Methodology (In countries)
Identify reforms undertaken in markets
Identify relevant stakeholders/respondents
Identify benefits of reforms on consumers and
producers
Identify existing concerns, reform possibilities and
estimated benefits from them
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Conduct in-depth interview, perception surveys of
relevant stakeholders/respondents
Data Analysis & Collation
Preparation of the draft DCR
Presentation of the draft DCR in NRG-2 meeting to
get feedback
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Multi-stakeholder group of experts and
practitioners
Composed of competition scholars, practitioners
and sectoral stakeholders
The group would comprise about 15 members in
each country
Meet periodically to discuss project progress and
issues
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Guidance & support in project implementation
Inputs in designing components of research
Review important project documents - Diagnostic
Country Report, Framework for Competition
Promotion (FCP), etc.
Access to country-specific network of institutions
for data (literature, statistics, market environment,
etc.) and project application tools
Participate in project meetings
CREW findings would help them in their own work
agenda
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Phases
NRG
Tentative
Timeline
Purpose
I
NRG –I
July,
2013
•Provide project orientation & update
• Discuss Conceptual Framework
(Phase-I)
• Inputs on DCR Methodology (countryspecific)
I
NRG-II
October,
2013
•Discuss Draft DCR
•Discussion on DCR findings and
refinements
II
NRG-III January,
2014
• Orientation on common findings of the
final DCR
• Discussion on development of
Framework for Competition Promotion
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Phases
NRG
Tentative
Timeline
Purpose
II
NRG-IV
July, 2014
•Presentation of the sector specific
FCPs
• Discussion on the FCP for fine
tuning and refinement
III
NRG-V
Nov, 2014
•Presentation of the final FCP
•Planning of country-specific
implementation of FCPs
III
NRG-VI
May, 2015
•Discussion on the findings of the
FCP after implementation (Impact
Analysis)
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www.cuts-ccier.org/CREW
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