OREANDA-NEWS. March 31, 2010. On 19th March 2010, the 7th Arbitration Appeal Court confirmed legitimacy of the fine imposed upon "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK [Vostochnaya Oil Company]" OJSC.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) fined "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK" OJSC more than 31 million Rubles for violating Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (prohibiting concerted actions).

In February 2008, based on analysis of its weekly monitoring of wholesale and retail prices for oil products, FAS Russia established that "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC and "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK" OJSC simultaneously fixed and maintain the same level of retail prices for oil products in Tomsk, the Tomsk region, in particular, for motor petrol, grades AI-80 and AI-92, and diesel fuel. FAS Russia monitored another economic entity ("Agroservice" Ltd.) involved in retail of oil products in Tomsk, the Tomsk region, and its prices for the same products were set at a level different from "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC and "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK" OJSC. As the above actions had the signs of violating Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", in March 2008 the antimonopoly authority initiated a case against "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" OJSC and "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK" OJSC for violating the antimonopoly law.

In April 2008, the FAS Russia's Commission found that "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC and "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK" OJSC violated Clause 1 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" by exercising concerted actions towards fixing and maintaining retail prices for oil products (motor petrol, grades АI-80, АI-92, АI-95 (АI-96) and diesel fuel) on the Tomsk local retail market of oil products.

Based on its decision, FAS Russia issued determinations to "Gazpromneft-Kuzbass" CJSC and "Tomsknefteproduct" VNK" OJSC to stop antimonopoly violations. FAS Russia also initiated an administrative case and imposed fines upon the companies under Article 14.32 of the Code on Administrative Violations.