OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2009. The Ministry of the Russian Federation for of Natural Resources and Environment (Minpriroda Russia) informed the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) that the Ministry invalidated some of its previously issued orders, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The documents in question regulated the procedures and fees in relation to issuing administrative licenses for wildlife turnover and the taking of fauna, listed as the endangered species in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. The Ministry invalidated the orders in order to eliminate antimonopoly violations.

The documents in question included: No.109 Order of Minpriroda Russia of 26th March 1996 "On Enforcement of No.156 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 19th February 1996" and No.42 Order of the National Environmental Protection Committee of the Russian Federation (Goskomecologia Russia) of 3rd February 1997" On Enforcement of No.13 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 6th January 1997".

Earlier FAS Russia carried out the inspections as a result of which is established that the actions of Rodprirodnadzor (the Federal Service for Environmental Control) had the signs of violating Part 1 Article 15 of the Law "On Protection of Competition". Rodprirodnadzor violated the law by requesting a fee for processing applications and granting permissions for wildlife turnover as well as taking flora and fauna enlisted in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

Also the Rodprirodnadzor refused to grant licenses for economic entities without receiving a payment or presenting a payment receipt, although there are no statutory requirements for the payment form and procedures and the amount of such payments. FAS Russia established that the above orders, which specified payments procedures and fees, contravened the Budget Code of the Russian Federation.

According to FAS Russia, the actions of Rodprirodnadzor unreasonably prevented economic activities of market participants.

The Ministry of the Russian Federation for of Natural Resources and Environment was requested to eliminate the violations.