OREANDA-NEWS. November 13, 2010. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) found that the “Shkola Bezopasnosti Biznesa [Business Safety School]” Private Educational Institution of Additional Professional Education and “STRAZHA” Private Educational Institution violated Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” (prohibiting competition-restricting agreements and concerted actions of economic entities), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Under the Law “On Private Detective and Security Activities in the Russian Federation”, the legal status of a private security guard is awarded to the individuals who received professional training and passed a qualifying exam.

FAS Russia has established that private education institutions that organized such exams in Moscow are engaged in concerted actions, which result in fixing and maintaining prices. Exams in those institutions are organized on a paid basis and:

1. Prices are the same - 4000, 5000, and 6000 Rubles for the 4, 5, and 6 security guard categories accordingly;

2. Calculations justifying the cost of the services in question show different cost structure of the private educational institutions;

3. Actions for fixing the same price for the services in question correspond to the interests of the private educational institutions, were known in advance to each institution and were exercised practically simultaneously.

Therefore, proving exam services, “Business Safety School” and “STRAZHA” Private Educational Institutions are acting in relative uniformity and synchronization without objective reasons.

FAS Russia will issue a determination to the companies to stop violating Clause 1 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and will impose administrative charges.

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