As known, cooperation activities are being carried out between the Balkan Competition Authorities and the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA), with the aim of strengthening the relations based on our shared historical heritage, cultural ties, and geographical proximity with the Balkan Countries, while understanding and addressing today’s competition law challenges and promoting a culture of competition in the region. Within this framework, the first meeting of the Balkan Competition Authorities hosted by the TCA was held in Istanbul on September 30, 2024, with the participation of senior representatives from the Competition Authorities of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania, Greece, and Hungary. At this meeting, it was decided to enhance regional cooperation among the agencies responsible for the implementation of competition law and policies in the Balkan countries through the exchange of information and experience.

In line with this decision, a senior delegation from the Albanian Competition Commission paid a study visit to the TCA on April 14–15, 2025, and a training seminar titled “Mergers and Acquisitions in Turkish Competition Law” was organized in Sarajevo between April 14–16, 2025 for competition experts working at the Competition Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On the present occasion, the “Workshop on the Exchange of Best Practices Regarding Abuse of Dominance” was held in Istanbul on April 28–29, 2026, with the participation of the presidents and senior representatives from the competition authorities of Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania.

Attended by the TCA President Birol KÜLE, as well as Vice-Presidents Cengiz ÇOLAK, Assoc. Prof. Hakan BİLİR, and Ferhat TOPKAYA, the Workshop featured case examples in relation to abuses of dominant position involving discount systems, exclusive dealings, measures on display units and intellectual property rights, in light of the presentations on “Novonesis and Unilever Decisions,” delivered by Evrim Özgül KAZAK, Head of the Department of External Relations and Competition Advocacy, in the first session; on “Coca-Cola, Unilever and Frito-Lay Decisions,” delivered by Burak BÜYÜKKUŞOĞLU, Head of the Second Supervision and Enforcement Department, in the second session; and on the “Tetrapak Decision,” delivered by Mehmet Ömür PAŞAOĞLU, Head of the Sixth Supervision and Enforcement Department, in the third session.

In the remaining sessions of the workshop, each participating competition authority shared its own enforcement experience regarding abuse of dominance. Following the presentations, discussions were held with Q&A and evaluation sessions involving the other participating competition authorities, with an aim to mutually assess the case examples presented. In this context, presentations were delivered by Leida MATJA, Vice-Chairwoman of the Albanian Competition Authority, on the “Antea Cement Case”; by Şemsi RIZALI, Head of the Department of State Control over Natural Monopolies at the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on “The Unified Electric-Charging Platform & Reduced Internet Tariffs Case (Aztelekom LLC)”; by Adisa MOĆEVIĆ, Member of the Competition Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on “OBN Sarajevo (private TV)”; by Irakli TURMANIDZE, Head of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Department of the Georgian Competition and Consumer Agency, on “Excessive Pricing in Pharmaceuticals Case & Rustavi Auto Market Case”; by Aggeliki SIMITOPOULOU, Head of the Directorate of Coordination and Secretariat of the Hellenic Competition Commission, together with Mary CHAMILOU, Head of the Directorate of International Relations and Communications, on “Case Study: Waste Lubricants Oil Sector”; by Gábor GÁL, Member of the Competition Council of the Hungarian Competition Authority, on “Abuse of dominance – the Hungarian experience”; by Albion REXHEPI, Head of the Division for Prohibited Agreements at the Kosovo Competition Authority, on “Competition Enforcement Case - Iber Lepenc JSC”; by Enis HUREMOVIĆ, Deputy Director at the Agency for Protection of Competition of Montenegro, and by Siniša MILAČIĆ, Head of Department for Ex-post Control, on the “Water supply company Vodovod i kanalizacija Budva case”; by Karolina ANDONOVSKA, General Secretary of the Commission for Protection of Competition of North Macedonia, on “Public Undertaking Komunalna Higiena Skopje”; and by Alexandra VACARU, Member of the Romanian Competition Council, on the “Boehringer Ingelheim / Tiotropium case”. In the final session of the program, a general evaluation was made by all participating competition authorities and final remarks were shared.

In addition, during the Workshop which contributed to strengthening cooperation and enhancing information sharing among the Balkan Competition Authorities, bilateral meetings were held between representatives of the TCA and those of the participating competition authorities, during which existing opportunities for cooperation and potential joint activities to be carried out in the future were discussed.

Respectfully submitted to the public.