OREANDA-NEWS. November 28, 2013. An expert of the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission, Dgaromir Iliev, and specialists from the Anti-Cartel Department of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) exchanged experience of anti-cartel investigations.

Dgaromir Iliev talked about the powers of the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission in investigating and collecting evidence on cartels and applying sanctions upon cartels, and answered numerous questions.

According to Mr. Iliev, the European Commission can fine companies up to 10% of their total turnover for taking part in cartel agreements.

Dgaromir Iliev said that “the highest fine imposed by the EC for cartel on the market of TV and computer monitors was over 1.47 billion euro. In 2009 - 2013 the total fines imposed by the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission have reached around 6.5 billion euro”.

He added that “the leniency programme adopted in the EU plays an important role in cartel investigating and proving. 80% of cartel investigations stat after one of cartel participants gives oneself up”.

“We have a lot of common with our European colleagues. It’s the understanding that cartels constitute the most dangerous violations of the antimonopoly law. The methods of exposing and proving cartels are also very similar: confessions of cartel participants under leniency programmes, dawn raids in the premises of companies – violators. Naturally, there are differences and it is understandable – we have different jurisdictions”, pointed out the Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department Andrey Tenischev.

Dgaromir Iliev is undergoing training in FAS Russia on 18 - 29 November 2013. The purpose is to study specifics of the work of different antimonopoly authorities and exchange experiences.