"Brain-storming" on the situation with the tariffs for services of subjects of natural monopolies

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NCE "Atameken", CRNMPC and entrepreneurs met at the round table

At the site of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan "Atameken" under the guidance of Vice-Chairman of the Board of NCE Yuliya Yakupbaeva was held a round table to discuss the current situation with the tariffs for services of natural monopolies. The discussion was attended by the heads of large companies, associations and businesses. The round table was also attended by Chairman of the Committee on Regulation of Natural Monopolies and Protection of Competition (CRNMPC) Serik Zhumangarin.

As it was noted by Yuliya Yakupbaeva, the decision to hold such an informal meeting in the form of "brain-storming" arose as a reaction NCE to numerous signals from the regions on the growth of tariffs for communal services, as well as appeals of the monopolists of the impossibility of the realization of investment programs at current tariffs, including due to the devaluation processes. "There have been appeals from representatives of SMEs on the principles of formation of tariffs for services of monopolists for business entities on a residual basis. It is proposed to make the rates for the business sector the same as the tariffs for the population, etc. In connection with the upcoming heating season, there are a lot of questions on installation of common house metering devices, the use of differentiated tariffs", - she said.

In turn, Chairman of CRNMPC RK Zhumangarin said that currently a working group is being introduced to develop a new draft law of Kazakhstan "On natural monopolies", which will be focused on the shift from the cost method of formation of tariffs to incentive methods of tariff formation. It is planned to attract local and foreign experts for development of a new draft law.

The rising cost of tariffs concerns all consumers of services of natural monopolies, as it has a direct impact on the competitiveness of products, services, works of almost all business entities, representing both large and small businesses.

The roundtable participants expressed support for the move away from cost method. They noted the need to continue the practice of maximum tariffs. In addition, the meeting noted the need to review the methods of calculation of differentiated tariffs for consumer groups, as well as the times of the day.

In the current crisis conditions and tariffs affect the economic situation of the subjects of natural monopolies as a result of the devaluation processes, many SNM implement investment programs with the assistance of loans from international financial organizations, also found themselves in a quandary. In this regard, they expressed views on consideration of the possibility of refinancing loans in the national currency.

The participants of the round table were strongly against the possibility of indexation of tariffs of monopolists, attracting loans in foreign currency.

It is expected that this platform will become permanent. In addition to tariff issues in the communal area, there will also be considered tariff formation for transport services, consumer complaints against the monopolists, and others.