OREANDA-NEWS. December 25, 2008. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) closed the proceedings on the case initiated against "Uralmashzavod" OJSC and "Morskie i Neftegazovie Proekty" Group of Companies" Ltd. for possible violation of Clauses 4 and 7 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The companies could have possibly violated the law because on 20th December 2003 "Uralmashzavod" OJSC and "Morskie i Neftegazovie Proekty" Group of Companies" Ltd. signed a contract, some clauses of which had characteristics of antimonopoly violations.

Investigating the case, FAS Russia concluded that at the time of entering into the contract the companies had been members of the same group of persons and it had been an intra-group contract, which had not posed a threat to competition.

FAS Russia found that entering into the contract had not resulted in economically or technologically unjustified refusal to sign contracts or reduction or terminating of producing goods. Therefore, the contract did not contravene with the legislation on protection of competition.

Furthermore, according to the information presented by the parties, on 12th May 2005 "Uralmashzavod" OJSC and "Morskie i Neftegazovie Proekty" Group of Companies" Ltd. terminated the contract by signing No.1 Additional Agreement to the contract.

Currently "Morskie i Neftegazovie Proekty" Group of Companies" Ltd. is not involved in manufacturing drilling rigs and drilling equipment, "Uralmashzavod" OJSC has incomplete technological chain for assembling drilling rigs, but can independently manufacture drilling equipment.