OREANDA-NEWS. December 09, 2009. Igor Artemyev, the Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service met Mr Franc Schauff, General Director of the Association of European Businesses (АЕB) in the Russian Federation, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Andrey Kashevarov, Deputy Head of FAS Russia, and the Heads of FAS Russia's Departments also took part at the meeting. The Association of European Businesses was also represented by Alex Stolyarsky - Deputy Chairman of the AEB Legal Committee, Ruslan Kokaryev - Executive Director of AEB and Ksenia Bortnik who coordinates the work of AEB Legal Committee and the Committee on Finance and Investments.

The parties discussed such issues as government regulation and control over foreign investments; legal protection of intellectual property in the Russian Federation (parallel importing); pricing in pharmaceutical industry.

The focus of the meeting was on the amendments to the competition law of the Russian Federation, related, in particular, to granting exclusive rights in vertical agreements for providing services. The parties also discussed amendments to the Federal Law "On the Procedures for Foreign Investments to Business Entities of Strategic importance for the Russian National Defense and State Security".

Igor Artemyev informed the participants about regular joint sessions of FAS Russia and the "Promoting Development of Competition" Non-Commercial Partnership, focusing on the main issues related to employment of the amendments to the antimonopoly legislation. The Head of FAS Russia suggested that the Association of European Businesses can also take part in such sessions in order to jointly discuss proposals on improving competition law and enforcement, particularly, aimed at creating better investment climate in the Russian Federation.

Mr Franc Schauff emphasized that "parallel importing" is one of the main problems facing companies -members of the Association of European Businesses: importing the goods, being results of intellectual activities or the means of differentiation, without a consent of the rights holder. In his turn, Andrey Kashevarov, Deputy Head of FAS Russia pointed out that the Antimonopoly Service already prepared some proposals towards resolving the issue.

At the meetings the parties also covered some aspects of the pharmaceutical industry, including price regulation for life-saving and essential medications.

Further cooperation between the Association of European Businesses and the Federal Antimonopoly Service в практике российского бизнеса.will enable the most effective adaptation of the antimonopoly norms in Russian business practice.