OREANDA-NEWS. January 26, 2012. The Primorie Regional Arbitration Court pronounced legitimacy of a decision of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Primorie region (Primorie OFAS Russia) regarding the Office of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Control in the Primorie region (an Office of Rosselkhoznadzor), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier, Primorie OFAS Russia received petitions from representatives of “Association of Pollock Getter” Non-Commercial Organization about unlawful actions of the Office of Rosselkhoznadzor.

Issuing a “health certificate” for fish products exported to China, the Office of Rosselkhoznadzor required certificates that fish products conformed to the requirements of official Chinese documents, issued by a representative of “Primorie Inter-Regional Veterinary Laboratory” Federal State Institution. According to the petitioners, these requirements did not comply with the current law, and cause additional financial expenditures for participants of foreign economic activity (determinations are issued on a fee basis) and prevent entrepreneurial activities.

Primorie OFAS Russia found that the Office of Rosselkhoznadzor violated the antimonopoly law.

The Office of Rosselkhoznadzor filed a lawsuit challenging the decision of the antimonopoly body.

“Passing a judgment by the Primorie Regional Arbitration Court that confirms validity and reasonableness of the decision of Primorie OFAS Russia that will enable gaining unjustified income by organizations that issue determinations about veterinary-sanitary conformity. We are surprised by a position of Rosselkhoznadzor that accused OFAS that by this decision we prohibited issuing certificates. OFAS decision does not prohibit issuing certificates, we prohibited to request exporters to have documents that are not provided for by the law of the Russian Federation”, commented the Head of Primorie OFAS Russia, Sergey Vyalykh.