OREANDA-NEWS. May 27, 2011. Workshops on antimonopoly enforcement in various sectors of the economy brought together the Federal Antimonopoly Service (OFAS Russia), judiciaries, the Department for Competition Development of the Ministry of Economic Development of RF, the Government of the Voronezh region, regional federal agencies and business community, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.   

The workshop was opened by the welcoming address of Deputy Head of FAS Russia Andrey Tsyganov. He talked about the role of the antimonopoly bodies in the system of regulating economic relations in the Russian Federation. Deputy Head of the antimonopoly authority also summed up FAS Russia’s work in 2010 and outlined the objectives for 2011. Andrey Tsyganov pointed out that one of the achievements was improving the legislation on competitive bidding and sale of state and municipal property as well as launching the national portal for publishing information about tenders and auctions. Andrey Tsyganov emphasized that the expectations were that the Government of the Russian Federation would make a decision on the third antimonopoly package in the near future.

Sergey Puzyrevsky, the Head of the FAS Russia’s Legal Department, made a presentation about enforcing administrative liability for violations of the antimonopoly law.

Elena Tsyshevskaya, Deputy Head of the FAS Department for Control over Electric Power Industry, analyzed enforcement practice in electric power industry and the goals of the antimonopoly bodies towards preventing violations in this field.

On the second day, Irina Yepiphanova, Deputy Head of the FAS Russia’s Department for Control over Chemical Industry and Agro-Industrial Complex, gave a presentation, where she analyzed enforcement practice in agricultural food markets.

The Head of the Cartel Department Alexander Kinev raised pressing issues of combat against cartels. He focused on the most interesting cases investigated by FAS Russia in this area.

On the third day, Yekaterina Uryukina, the Head of the Trade and Non-Productive Services Section, of the Department for Control over Social Sphere and Trade, outlined important issues related to enforcement of the Federal Law “On State Regulation of Trading Activities n the Russian Federation”.

Also on 19th May 2011, there was a meeting of the Heads of the Offices of the Federal Antimonopoly Service located in the Central Federal District, who looked at the issues that should be considered by FAS Russia in order to work out effective resolving mechanisms.

Participants emphasized importance of organizing workshops in such a format when it is possible to hear opinions about a particular problems and possible methods of resolving it from representatives of the antimonopoly authorities, as well as judiciaries, which helps develop constructive approach to various problems. Such discussions facilitate elaborating uniform approaches to controversial issues of antimonopoly enforcement.