OREANDA-NEWS. February 21, 2011. The Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation fully reversed the rulings of the Arbitration Court of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the 13th Arbitration Appeal Court and the Federal Arbitration Court of the North-West District on the claim of “Gazprom Neft” OJSC. Therefore, the Supreme Arbitration Court upheld the decision and determination of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) that in 2009 the oil company had abused its dominance on the market of oil products and should transfer 4.67 billion Rubles to the federal budget, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier FAS Russia found that “Gazprom Neft” OJSC violated the antimonopoly law. The company abused its dominance on the market of oil products by withdrawing the goods from circulation in January - February and May – June 2009, which resulted in increasing wholesale prices for motor petrol and diesel fuel. Also FAS Russia established that the oil company was selling oil products to counteragents that were not members of the same group of persons with the oil company, at the prices exceeding the prices set for the members of the same group of persons. Such practice is also prohibited by the antimonopoly law.

FAS Russia fined “Gazprom Neft” OJSC 4.67 billion Rubles for abusing its dominance on the market of oil products.

FAS Russia initiated similar cases against the other three largest oil companies – “TNK-BP Holding” OJSC, “NK Rosneft” OJSC, “LUKOIL” OJSC, which jointly with “Gazprom Neft” OJSC have dominant position on the wholesale markets of motor petrol and diesel fuel within the boundaries of the Russian Federation.

In course of judicial proceedings “TNK-BP Holding” OJSC, “NK Rosneft” OJSC and “LUKOIL” OJSC admitted the fact of violating the antimonopoly law. In 2009 “TNK-BP Holding” OJSC transfered over 1.1 billion Rubles to the federal budget as a fine, “NK Rosneft” OJSC - over 2 billion Rubles, and a subsidiary of “LUKOIL” OJSC - “LUKOIL-Nizhegorodnefteorgsynthez” Ltd. - 659 million Rubles. (Two other plants of “LUKOIL” OJSC must also transfer “turnover fines” to the budget).

“We are extremely satisfied by the findings of the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court. It draws a line on the case of “Gazprom Neft” abusing market dominance in 2009. The company must transfer the “turnover” fine to the budget”, stated the Head of FAS Russia Igor Artemyev.