OREANDA-NEWS. November 01, 2010. The first session of the Expert Council at the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) on development of competition in the market of production and sales of ethanol, alcohol and alcohol-containing products took place, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Representatives of FAS Russia, the Federal Service for Regulating Alcohol Market, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Russian Federation, the Union of Producers of Alcohol Products, the Moscow League of Wine-Makers, the Association of Wine Importers, the Committee of Producers of Alcohol Products, the National Association of Low Alcohol Drinks, “Roussky Alcohol” CJSC, “Simple” and “Х5 Retail Group” of companies took part at the session.

FAS Russia’s Department for Control over the Authorities informed the attendees about the main instruments of antimonopoly control and actions towards preventing violations of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

Representatives of the Union of Producers of Alcohol Products, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Russian Federation and “Roussky Alcohol” CJSC spoke about important issues of market performance, and methods of market regulation, and the issues of developing competitive environment in the constituent territories of the Russian Federation. Speakers also expressed their opinions regarding trade barriers in the regional markets, more complex import procedures under the rules of the Customs Union, the first experience of applying the Federal Law “On Trade” and cooperation between suppliers and trade networks, and prompt co-operation between market participants and FAS Russia.

Deputy Head of the Department for State Policy on Regulating Alcohol Market, of Rosalcoholregulirovanie (the Federal Service for Regulating the Alcohol Market), Mr. Bourtsev, answered questions of the session participants. He confirmed that the that Rosalcoholregulirovanie is ready for an open dialogue with market participants on the issues in question; in particular, Rosalcoholregulirovanie is interested in regulating the procedure by Administrative Regulations, which ate the moment are being discussed and corrected and are in open access on the Service’s web-site.

Summing up the work of the Expert Council, its participants made a number of decisions, including the following: to extend membership of the Expert Council; to о systematize the problems affecting development of competition and to draft the work schedule of the Expert Council; to form a Working Group at the Expert Council to draft proposals for eliminating barriers for sales of alcohol products in the constituent territories of the Russian Federation.

In view of importance and significance of the issues, the next session of the Expert Council on development of competition in the market of production and sales of ethanol, alcohol and alcohol-containing products twill take place in November 2010.

The Head of the FAS Russia’s Department for Control over the Authorities, Mr. Vladimir Myshelovin, said: “We hope that the newly formed Expert Council will be an effective instrument of cooperation between interested federal executive bodies and business community, will support the most up-to-date methods of competition development, including self-regulation, and will be able to focus its efforts on finding practical solutions for advancement of competition and efficient engagement of antimonopoly enforcement tools”.