OREANDA-NEWS. December 05, 2007. The Expert Council for Developing Completion in Retail, of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) held a meeting to discuss the provisions of Chapter 7 "Antimonopoly Regulation of Trading Activities" of the draft Federal Law "On Fundamental Principles of State Regulation of the Trading Activities in the Russian Federation", reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Representatives of large distribution networks - members of the Association of Retail Companies L. Khasis, S.Prokofyev, A. Onischuk (Association of Trading Companies and Manufacturers of Consumer Electronics and Computer Equipment (RATEK), S. Galitsky ("Magnet" OJSC) and V. Karnaukhov ("Seventh Continent" OJSC) presented their comments on the draft body of the law and expressed their concerns regarding possible adverse consequences of enforcing Chapter 7 in terms of creating unfavourable conditions for the Russian distribution networks and the procedures defining geographic boundaries of a relevant goods market.

In the letter of S. Borisov of 26/11/2006 and the speech at the Expert Council meeting, representatives of "OPORA ROSSII" outlines the need and timeliness of tightening the antimonopoly laws in regulating activities of large distribution networks, in particular, by setting additional measures to ensure non-discriminatory access and small and medium producers to distribution networks, as well as developing mechanisms regulating co-operation between small-and medium producers of goods and distribution networks.

The Chairman of the Russian Consumers Union, a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, P.Shelisch, gave his comments and suggestions to the draft, he also paid attention to the mechanism of ensuring transparency and publicity of the activity of economic entities that have dominant position.

E. Abramova, Head of the Office of Regulation and Consumer Protection, of the Department of Consumer Market and Services, the Moscow Government, focused on the need to enact into law the purchase of goods rules and establish notification- administrative procedures in the Russian Federation in view of international practices; while A.Lifshits, of the "Edas" Law Office, stated that antimonopoly legislation should not be used as an "emergency response".

At the conclusion of the session, members of the Expert Council decided to continue discussing the provisions of the draft Federal Law "On Fundamental Principles of State Regulation of the Trading Activities in the Russian Federation" under the statutory procedures.