OREANDA-NEWS. September 10, 2009. The Seventh Arbitration Appeal Court confirmed lvalidity of the fine imposed upon "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) fined a subsidiary of "Gazpromneft" CJSC 25 269 836 Rubles for violating Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (prohibiting concerted actions) Earlier the Arbitration Court of the First Instance also pronounced validity of the FAS Russia's decision on imposing the fine, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

"Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC is one of the largest operators of the wholesale market of oil products in the Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk provinces.

FAS Russia established that ФАС from January2007 to January 2008 "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC and "Tomsknefteproduct VNK" OJSC maintained the same price level and simultaneously increased retail prices for motor petrol (grades АI-80, АI-92, АI-95 (АI-96)) and diesel fuel inn the local Tomsk retail market of oil products. Such actions are prohibited by the antimonopoly legislation. On 3rd June 2009 the Federal Arbitration Court of the Moscow District confirmed validity of the FAS Russia's conclusions on the case.

On 21st August 2009 "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC paid to the budget a fine imposed upon the company by the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (OFAS Russia) in the Kemerovo region (the Kemerovo OFAS Russia) on another case. The oil company abused its dominant position on the regional market of oil products. The amount of fine was 65 899 851 Rubles. OFAS received information about payment of the fine after the Cassation Instance) the Federal Arbitration Court of the West-Siberian District) confirmed validity of the decision made by the antimonopoly authority.