Competition law represents a synthesis of law and economics. It regulates the behavior of subjects participating in the market in order to ensure fair, free, and effective competition. The main goal of competition law is the promotion of free trade and market liberalization, the protection of consumers' interests, the avoidance of artificial price increases, the restriction of choice, and the suppression of innovations, as well as the provision of fair conditions for the equal participation of subjects participating in the market. Competition law is important for the business sector because it establishes rules for protection from the unlawful restriction of free and fair competition. Competition law prohibits such actions that unlawfully restrict competition and harm the interests of the consumer, including the abuse of a dominant position, competition-restricting contracts, decisions, and concerted actions.

The most common violations of competition law include:

• Agreements concluded between product suppliers with the aim of dominating the market, establishing control over prices, and receiving maximum profit (so-called cartels), during which each participant maintains financial independence, that is, they do not unite into one company. Participants in a cartel coordinate prices, sales methods and areas, the quality of goods, etc., with each other, in order to receive as much profit as possible.

• Abuse of a dominant position, for example, directly or indirectly determining (fixing) an unfair purchase or sale price or other unfair trading conditions; restricting production, markets, or technological development to the prejudice of consumers' interests; establishing different conditions for certain trading partners on identical transactions, thereby placing them at a competitive disadvantage; determining an additional condition/imposing an obligation on a party to conclude a transaction, which is neither substantively nor commercially related to the subject of the transaction, and others.

• Mergers and concentrations, which significantly restrict competition in the market.

According to the Law of Georgia on Competition, the mentioned actions are prohibited, because they violate the process of the development of free trade and a competitive market and harm the interests of consumers.

A dominant position means such a position (economic power) of an economic agent (or economic agents) operating in the relevant market, which allows it to act independently from competing economic agents, suppliers, clients, and final consumers, to exert a substantial influence on the general conditions of the circulation of goods in the relevant market, and to restrict competition. A dominant position itself is not illegal. Its abuse is illegal, for example, when an economic agent uses its power for the expulsion of competitors or to establish unfair conditions for consumers.

Ein Verstoß gegen wettbewerbsrechtliche Vorschriften kann zu erheblichen finanziellen Sanktionen, Reputationsschäden, der Unwirksamkeit von Verträgen und in bestimmten Fällen sogar zur persönlichen Haftung des Managements führen. Darüber hinaus ist das Verfahren der Falluntersuchung durch die georgische Wettbewerbs- und Verbraucherbehörde häufig langwierig (je nach Bedeutung und Komplexität kann es bis zu 18 Monate dauern), was erheblichen Druck auf die Tätigkeit des Unternehmens ausübt.

Rechtsberatung unterstützt Unternehmen bei der Identifizierung und Vermeidung von Risiken, der Bewertung von Fusionen und Transaktionen, der Interaktion mit Aufsichtsbehörden sowie beim Schutz ihrer Interessen im Rahmen von Untersuchungsverfahren. Darüber hinaus trägt sie zur Entwicklung interner Compliance-Richtlinien bei, sodass das Unternehmen die Anforderungen des Wettbewerbsrechts in seiner täglichen Tätigkeit einhält und sein Geschäft sicher weiterentwickeln kann.