OREANDA-NEWS. On November 24, 2008 the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) fined "Gazpromneft" OJSC - 1 356 560 819.53 Rubles and "TNK-BP Holding" OJSC - 1 112 448 795.36 Rubles for abusing dominant position on the wholesale markets of oil products, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Under Article 14.31 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, abusing dominant position is punishable by administrative fines upon legal entities in the amount of 1- 15% of the net sales by the violator in the preceding year on the market where the violation occurred. Calculating the fines, FAS Russia, along with the factual circumstances of the violations, took into account the current economic situation.

Earlier FAS Russia recognized that "Gazpromneft" OJSC and "TNK-BP Holding" OJSC had violated Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition". The companies' actions contravened Clauses 1, 6 and 8 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition".

The Antimonopoly Service found that the companies had abused dominant position on the market by fixing monopolistically high prices, creating discriminatory conditions, and setting economically and technologically unjustified price differences. "TNK-BP Holding" OJSC abused dominant position on the markets of motor petrol, and aviation fuel and lubrication materials, while "Gazpromneft" OJSC also violated the law on the markets of diesel fuel and fuel oil.

Following the decision, FAS Russia issued determinations with the instructions regarding particular actions to be exercised in order to stop the violations and eliminate their consequences.