OREANDA-NEWS. July 11, 2011. As part of the events organized by OECD Competition Committee (in Paris, France), the Committee hosted a special seminar where the Russian delegation presented the “third antimonopoly package” of amendments to the Russian antimonopoly law, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

FAS Russia’s delegation at the seminar was led by Deputy Head of FAS Russia Andrey Tsyganov. OECD was represented by senior officials and OECD experts: Frederic Jenny, Robert Lee, John Davis, Nicola Bonucci, Sarah Reynolds; Directorate General on Competition, the European Commission, was represented by Van der Wee and Sam Pieters. Also at the seminar were present: the President of German Competition Authority, Andreas Mundt, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission of Japan Akira Goto, General Director of Swedish Competition Authority, Dan Sjoblom, the Head of the UK Office of Fair Trade, Philip Collins, and a Commissioner of the US Federal Trade Commission, William Kovacic, etc.

Andrey Tsyganov informed that on 28th June 2011 the “third antimonopoly package” of amendments, drafted by FAS Russia, was approved by the Presidium of the Government of the Russian Federation and in the near future would be submitted to the State Duma of the Russian Federation for consideration.

The draft law introduced changes to the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and some other legislative acts of the Russian Federation related to antimonopoly enforcement. The amendments are aimed at improving the antimonopoly law and enforcement efficiency.

At the seminar Andrey Tsyganov explained some amendments and answered questions from the participants. The main issues of discussions were:

- reducing the list of per se violations and applying them only to horizontal agreements (cartels);

- using economic analysis and exchange quotations in investigation of monopolistically high prices;

- applying antimonopoly law towards intellectual property;

- clarifying criminal liability for monopolistic activities;

- imposing administrative fines for antimonopoly violations.