OREANDA-NEWS. November 02, 2009. It is necessary to develop the mechanisms of exchange trading with aggregates - such was the conclusion of the FAS Russia's Expert Council for developing competition in construction and construction materials industry, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Opening the session Andrey Tsyganov, Deputy Head of FAS Russia, reminded the Council that at the end of August 2009 the amendments to the antimonopoly legislation (the "second antimonopoly package") came into effect. They clarify several provisions of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", increase the sanctions against big monopolies for the most serious violations of the antimonopoly legislation and tighten control over the anticompetitive actions by the authorities.

Another element of the "second antimonopoly package" will come into force at the end of October: amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which specify and increase liability for participation in cartels and for repeated abuse of dominance on the market, as the most serious violations of the antimonopoly legislation.

Andrey Tsyganov said that the antimonopoly legislation covers operations of every company so the "second antimonopoly package" of amendments raises numerous questions and discussions. At the same time, failure to adopt those legislative amendments could have made many FAS Russia's efforts ineffective.

Denis Davydov, the Deputy Head of the FAS Russia's Department for Industry Control, talked about the work undertaken by FAS Russia to improve the situation at Pikalyovo Production Complex.

He reminded that FAS Russia took active part in the work of the Inter-branch Headquarters for improving the situation at Pikalyovo Production Complex. The main goal of the Antimonopoly Authority Оwas to determine the level of fair prices; to this purpose FAS Russia analyzed prices for nepheline (belite) slurry, carbonate mud and nepheline concentrate for several months. Due to market instability determining the profitability for all market participants was quite difficult.

In his turn, Alexei Ulyanov, the Head of the FAS Russia's Department for Industry Control, pointed out that the comprehensive work of FAS Russia made a considerable contribution to development of the regional economy in the period of crisis; social tension was liquidated, workplaces were preserved, and many contradictions were solved. However, the situation has not fully stabilized yet and FAS Russia will continue its efforts towards company's adjustment of the company.

Discussing the measures for support of the aggregates industry, Denis Davydov outlines the following major issues:

- Interactions with natural monopolies,

- Pushing Russian manufacturers of aggregates out of the market by manufacturers from other CIS countries,

- Problems related to the infrastructure problems,

- Problems associated with allocating subsurface sites for production (extraction) of aggregates.

"FAS Russia has devised a draft Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation "On organizing the measures for purchasing and supplying aggregates though commodity exchanges", which provides for the measures that will help resolving those and other industry problems", emphasized Denis Davydov.

Summing up, the members of the Expert Council made a conclusion on the need to support the FAS Russia's work on developing the mechanisms of exchange trading of aggregates.