OREANDA-NEWS. May 26, 2010. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) completed inspections of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (АТОR) and a number of leading Russian tour operators, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The inspections were carried out upon information in mass media that 16 leading Russian tour operators signed the "Charter for Support of Agent Market" (further on referred to as the Charter), initiated by ATOR.

In course of the inspections, FAS Russia has discovered that the Charter provides for concerted pricing policy by its participants with regard to the agents' commission. However, inspections have shown that tour operators have not implemented the Charter conditions, therefore FAS Russia will not initiate a case against ATOR.

FAS Russia sent an official conclusion to ATOR that the Charter text contains provisions contrary to the antimonopoly law and can be classified as an anticompetitive agreement on fixing a unified discount level.

"On 12th May 2010, when the inspected economic entities sighed the inspections acts, ATOR representatives told FAS that they would bring this information to the market participants", said Alexander Kinev, the Head of the FAS Russia's Cartel Department.

Reference:
Under Part 3 Article 11 the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", it is prohibited for physical persons, commercial organizations and non-commercial organization to coordinate economic activities of market participants if such coordination lead or can lead to restriction and suppression of competition.

Clause 1 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" prohibits agreements between economic entities or concerted actions between economic entities on the market of such agreements or concerted actions lead or can lead to fixing or maintaining prices (tariffs), discounts, extra charges (surcharges), mark-ups.