OREANDA-NEWS  On 03 March was announced, that the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation almost unanimously approved the draft Federal Law "On Introducing Amendments to the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations and Other Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation" in a first reading. The draft law was formulated by FAS Russia. 404 members of the parliament voted in favour of the amendments.

The draft Law is an integral part of the "second antimonopoly package" devised by FAS Russia. In particular, it:

- introduces administrative liability of state and municipal officers in form of disqualification applies

- establishes liability of officials of the state authorities and local self-government bodies for violating the antimonopoly legislation

- establishes the right of the antimonopoly bodies to appeal court rulings that invalidate determinations of the antimonopoly bodies on imposing administrative charges.

Stats-Secretary Andrey Tsarikovskiy, Deputy Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service, presented the draft Law on behalf of the Government of Russia. He emphasized that, preparing the draft Law for its second reading by the State Duma, FAS Russia would take into account the critical comments and observations on the draft Law made by members of the parliament and the Committee of the State Duma on Constitutional Legislation and State-Building.

On 20th February 2009, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation approved the draft Federal Law "On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" and Other Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation" in a first reading. The Law is also included in the "second antimonopoly package".

The provisions of the draft laws bring considerably changes to the antimonopoly legislation and introduce comprehensive system of antimonopoly measures and legislative amendments, which will facilitate competition on the markets of the Russian Federation.

The State Duma will also review the draft Law on amendments to Article 178 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which introduces criminal labiality for the antimonopoly violations. The draft Law, devised by FAS Russia jointly with the Russian Ministry of Interior and the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, establishes the principle of inevitability of punishment for socially dangerous violations of the antimonopoly legislation, and equips the law-enforcement bodies with a real possibility of applying Article 178.