OREANDA-NEWS. On January 26-27, 2009 the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the American embassy held conjointly the workshop "Combating cartels. Legislation and practice in Russia and the USA", reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The representatives of the Anti-Cartel Department of the FAS Russia, FAS Russia regional offices' officials responsible for this direction of activity, the representatives of the relevant sub-divisions of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation participated in the workshop from the Russian party. The American party was represented by the officers of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

The Antitrust authorities of the USA are known as worldwide leaders in revealing cartels that have been prohibited by the Sherman Act since 1890. Dozens cartels are disclosed annually, their members are subjects to imprisonment or billions dollars fines.

The practical issues were discussed at the workshop including enforcement powers of the authorities that conduct anti-cartel activity, the order of holding antimonopoly investigations and the criminal prosecution of guilty persons for cartel collusions. The major issues of continuation of the joint activity were planned as well.

Mr. Alexander Kinev, the Head of the Anti-Cartel Department of the FAS Russia says: "the experience of the Antitrust division of the Department of Justice and their colleagues from the FBI is extremely useful for the Anti-Cartel Department especially at present when the FAS Russia only launches its activity on combating cartels. Our workshop was held at the same particular time when the Government of the Russian Federation took a decision to introduce amendments into the Article 178 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. New version of the Article will enable us, like in the USA, to enforce the most serious punishment up to the imprisonment to the cartel participants, taking into account special social danger of cartels".