The Competition Council in cooperation with the Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns Law Office from October 25 to November 25 invites students from grades 7 - 12 to participate in the video competition of creative works "Is there a place for competition?!", which aims to promote students' understanding on economic processes in the country and fair competition. The authors of the best works will receive paid language courses worth 500 euros, as well as gift cards from the electronics store "Capital" and the bookstore "Jānis Roze".
This year marks 30 years since fair competition has been monitored in Latvia. Fair monitoring of competition means that it is evaluated whether companies do not agree on prices, market or purchases, whether large companies do not abuse their market power, or whether state and local governments do not hinder competition and negatively affect the activities of private companies in the market.
In honor of the institution's 30th anniversary, the Competition Council is organizing a video competition, the aim of which is to promote students' interest in economic processes in the country and knowledge of the benefits of fair competition.
Juris Gaiķis, Chairman of the Competition Council: "Our young people are extremely erudite, they are often interested in what is happening in the country, besides, they are creative in their expressions and skillfully use technology. Therefore, in this competition we want to address the young people, who are our future. Perhaps they will be our next entrepreneurs who will build our economy through fair competition, or they will be the next lawyers, politicians, bloggers or videographers who will work in our country in the future. But even now, with their unique perspective on the world and processes in our country, they can help us see the deeper meaning and power of fair competition."
Agris Bitāns, managing partner of the Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns Law Office: "Understanding the basic principles of fair competition is one of the basic conditions for the country's progress towards sustainable development and prosperity, and therefore important for today's commercial activities. It is important for young people to learn about the processes taking place in the country and to realize that they have the opportunity to shape and influence the future of the country. We are pleased to cooperate with the Competition Council and together, with the help of this creative competition, promote young people's interest in the basic principles of fair competition and the growth of the country."
The task of the competition is to prepare a 90-second to four-minute long video or animation, individually or in a group of students, with up to three participants, in which the benefits arising from fair competition and the detection of competition violations are presented in an original way. When preparing the video, students are invited to choose one of the sub-topics below for inspiration:
- Prohibited agreements between market participants on price, market or purchases.
- Behaviour of large companies abusing their dominant position in the market.
- Distortions of competition created by the state and local governments, which hinder and negatively affect the operation of private companies in the market.
In order to participate in the contest, there is no limit to the means of expression used in the video - it can be made with both people and various objects and materials. Submitted video format must be .mp4 or .mov. format.
The video must be sent to the e-mail address pasts@kp.gov.lv by November 25, 2022, attaching the Application form.
The videos submitted to the competition will be evaluated by the committee until November 30, 2022. The authors of the three best videos will be awarded with valuable prizes on World Competition Day, December 5:
- place – Language learning courses (of the student's choice) at the "Skrivanek" training center worth EUR 500 and a EUR 50 gift card at the electronics store "Capital".
- place – a 300 EUR gift card in the electronics store "Capital".
- place – 120 EUR gift card in the bookstore "Jānis Roze".