OREANDA-NEWS. January 22, 2013. The Commission of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Tomsk Region (Tomsk OFAS Russia) found that an agreement between Tomsk City Authority, the “Savings Bank of Russia” OJSC and “Megapolis S” Ltd. restricted competition (Article 16 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

On 20th June 2012, Tomsk City Authority, the “Savings Bank of Russia” OJSC and “Megapolis S” Ltd. concluded a trilateral agreement on cooperation in the field of providing affordable residence and housing credit. According to the agreement, Tomsk City Authority undertook obligations to support the “Savings Bank of Russia” OJSC and “Megapolis S” Ltd. in exercising the rights and duties, specified by the agreement.

The market of mortgage credit and the market of real estate construction in Tomsk and the Tomsk region are competitive and are not limited to operations of the “Savings Bank of Russia” OJSC and “Megapolis S” Ltd. Tomsk City Authority did not publically announce its intentions to conclude the agreement with other organizations.

The Commission of Tomsk OFAS Russia concluded that implementing some provisions of the agreement had resulted in preventing, restricting and eliminating competition by creating preferential conditions for the “Savings Bank of Russia” OJSC on the market of mortgage credit lending, as well as for “Megapolis S” Ltd. on the market of construction of residential real estate.

Other economic entities rendering the same services do not possess information on an intention to conclude the agreement and do not have an objective possibility to file an application and claim the right to conclude an agreement for rendering services.

The Commission of Tomsk OFAS Russia issued a determination to Tomsk City Authority, the “Savings Bank of Russia” OJSC and “Megapolis S” Ltd. to exclude Clauses violating the antimonopoly law from the agreement or to adjust them in accordance with the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.