OREANDA-NEWS. November 20, 2007 in the course of antimonopoly control of economic concentration, FAS Russia specified competition protection requirements to the vertically integrated oil companies (companies - members of the groups of persons "TNK-VR" OJSC, "Lukoil" OJSC, "Gazprom" OJSC - ОАО "Gazpromneft" OJSC, "Rosneft" OJSC). In particular, they referred to the conditions of non-discriminatory supplies of oil products to the independent fuel stations by the vertically integrated companies, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

According to Deputy Head of FAS Russia Anatoly Golomolzin, "the decisions were made in the context of considering petitions, submitted by these companies, simultaneously with issuing the determination which sets mandatory requirements on preventing discriminatory conditions and protecting competition".

FAS Russia issued the determination, taking into account collective dominant position of such groups of persons as "TNK-VR", "Lukoil" OJSC, "Rosneft", "Gazprom" and ОАО "Surgutneftegaz" OJSC on the markets of oil, oil refinery services and wholesale of oil products. Dominant position on these markets allows the companies to exercise decisive influence on the retail oil products market as well as affect the operations of independent fuel stations.

"Furthermore, taking into consideration recent shortfall in delivery of oil products to a number of independent fuel stations, FAS Russia adopted a decision that in such situations supplies must be arranged pro rata to the so-called "insider" and "outsider" fuel stations, - noted Deputy Head of FAS Russia. - The determination also includes a special provision that it can be amended or added, depending on a market situation, particularly as exchange trading with oil products starts in 2008".