OREANDA-NEWS. November 01, 2012. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated a case against “Russian Fish Company” CJSC, “Atlant-Pacific” CJSC and the group of persons comprising “ITA North Company” CJSC and “SK Retail” CJSC (further on referred to as “North Company”) upon signs of violating the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” (Clause 3 Part 1 Article 11 – market allocating cartel), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The grounds for initiating the case: the findings of FAS inspections in March – June 2012 of the companies involved in supplying Norwegian salmon and trout (fish) to Russia.

Inspections showed that in order to implement the anticompetitive agreement, “Russian Fish Company” CJSC, “Atlant-Pacific” CJSC and “North Company” divided between themselves Norwegian fish producers and then initiated “Strategic Partnership Agreements” with their Norwegian partners.

The Head of FAS Cartel Department Alexander Kinyov said that “according to the agreements, for five years Norwegian producers lost the right to supply fish in the Russian Federation to anyone except the “exclusive authorized partners” - “Russian Fish Company” CJSC, “Atlant-Pacific” CJSC or “North Company”.

FAS assumes that such agreements between respondents to the case who are competitors selling goods on the same markets evidences the cartel for dividing the market for supplying Norwegian fish to Russia under the categories of sellers.

Notes:

Clause 3 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” classifies as cartels and prohibits agreements between competitors – economic entities that sell goods on the same market if such agreements lead to can lead to dividing the market under a geographical principle, the volumes of sale or purchasing of goods, the range of goods or the categories of sellers or buyers (customers).