OREANDA-NEWS. May 18, 2012. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Tomsk Region (Tomsk OFAS Russia) found that “SeverNefteProdukt” Ltd. violated the antimonopoly law in the part of abusing dominant position (Clause 1 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated in 2011 upon petitions from consumers and on the basis of analysis of retail markets of motor gasoline and diesel fuel in Kargasok village and the nearest inhabited localities.

The antimonopoly body established that at the beginning of November 2011, “SeverNefteProdukt” Ltd. had set retail prices for Аi-92 at 29.86 Rubles/liter, and “Neftebaza” Ltd. - at 30.00 Rubles/liter. Also, in November 2011 “SeverNefteProdukt” Ltd. did not sell gasoline through its fuel filling stations against cash payment and gasoline was sold only by bank transfer. At the same time, the volume of purchased fuel-and-lubrication materials was no less than in the previous months; therefore, the company has a possibility of retail fuel sale against cash payment as well as bank transfer.

Tomsk OFAS Russia terminated the case against “Neftebaza” Ltd. because the signs of violating the antimonopoly law were not confirmed, and issued a determination to “SeverNefteProdukt” Ltd. to eliminate violations of the antimonopoly law.

“Such cases are of considerable social importance. Small companies in fuel-and energy complex tend to abuse their dominant position on the local markets in remote districts of the region. Consumers become hostages of the violator of the antimonopoly law, due to a limited number of market participants. One can hardly overestimate importance of such cases, and relatively small local markets of goods and services in remote areas require increased attention of antimonopoly bodies”, commented the Head of Tomsk OFAS Russia, Vladimir Shevchenko.

Reference:

Clause 1 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” prohibits actions (omissions) of an economic entity with dominant position, the result of which is or can be preventing, restricting, eliminating competition and (or) infringing the interests of other persons, in particular, fixing monopolistically high and low prices.