OREANDA-NEWS. March 25, 2014. At the extended Collegium of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia), Deputy Head of FAS, Alexander Kinev, and the Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Andrey Tenischev, held a workshop with the heads of 83 regional FAS Offices on the results of anti-cartel efforts in 2013 and the plans for 2014.

Alexander Kinev informed that in comparison with 2012 FAS issued 20% fewer determinations on imposing fines under Article 14.32 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations. The sum of the fines imposed by FAS under this Article in 2013 reached 3.93 billion RUB (2.9 billion RUB in 2012).

“In 2013, major cartel agreements came in sight of the antimonopoly body, which is confirmed by the size of the fines imposed by the antimonopoly bodies”, pointed out Alexander Kinev.

Alexander Kinev also commented statistical data on the number of unscheduled inspections carried out in 2013:

He said that “lately some of our opponents actively discuss the issue “whether it’s time to withdraw the powers to carry out unscheduled inspections from the antimonopoly bodies. Interestingly, that throughout the entire 2013 FAS exercised only 62 unscheduled inspections. Most of them were very productive, as a result of which the evidence of violating the antimonopoly law was obtained.

Discussing the plans for 2014, Alexander Kinev reminded of the need to strengthen cooperation with the law enforcement bodies, establish positive judicial practice and reinforce international cooperation.

“FAS is conducting a major joint investigation with the European Commission of a cartel on the market of marine container shipping. Simultaneously with FAS the European Commission is investigating a case against the companies operating on the South-East Asia – Europe route; our case concerns transportation from this region to St Petersburg”, stated Alexander Kinev. “We have involved research institutions to complete expert examinations required for the investigation”.

The Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Andrey Tenischev, presented the results of monitoring the work of FAS regional Offices under Articles 11 and 11.1 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” in 2013.

In 2013, FAS regional Offices initiated 213 cases under Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

“Regional Offices became more active exposing various bid-rigging cartels. Out of all cases initiated in 2013 under Article11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”, 135 cases concerned bid-rigging”, summed up Andrey Tenischev. “Overall, the monitoring results confirm that all regional FAS Offices are establishing a uniform approach to exposing, classifying and proving cartels and other anticompetitive agreements”.