OREANDA-NEWS. September 12, 2012. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Leningrad Region (Leningrad OFAS Russia) initiated a case against “Russian Railways” OJSC upon signs of violating Clause 8 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

“Petrotrans-Primorsk” Ltd. is building a terminal for transshipment of oil and oil products near “Primorsk” oil-loading port. Constructing non-public rail tracks and connecting them to the existing rail tracks at Yermilovo station is an integral part of the project.

The technical conditions issued to the applicant by “Russian Railways” OJSC for transporting 3,3 million tons per year, include the works for developing Yermilovo station, particularly, construction and electrification of rail tracks, new track switches, developing communications and information systems.

At the same time, technical conditions issued by “Russian Railways” OJSC to economic entities exercising transshipment of hydrocarbons and oil products in “Ust-Luga” port, include fewer requirements to carry out works towards developing infrastructure of railway in general use.

A few requirements towards developing infrastructure of railway in general use specified in the technical conditions issued by “Russian Railways” OJSC to other organizations shows that “Russian Railways” OJSC created unequal and discriminatory conditions for “Petrotrans-Primorsk” Ltd.

“Equal conditions for entrepreneurial activities of economic entities in the region are a recipe for favourable investment climate, which also means enhancing investment attractiveness of the region for the business”, pointed out Deputy Head of Leningrad OFAS Russia.

Reference:

Clause 8 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” prohibits actions of an economic entity with dominant market position that resulted or can result in preventing, restricting, eliminating competition and infringing the interests of other persons, in particular, creating discriminatory conditions.