OREANDA-NEWS. December 18, 2013. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated a case against “Mercedes-Benz RUS” CJSC upon signs of violating the antimonopoly law.

Earlier FAS received a complaint from an official dealer of cars and spare parts to “Mercedes-Benz” in the Russian Federation – “Avilon AG” CJSC that a distributor – “Mercedes-Benz RUS” CJSC attempted to impose disadvantageous contracts of cooperation and changing the sales structure to the benefit of the distributor.

According to the received information, FAS established that “Mercedes-Benz RUS” CJSC concluded additional agreements with the main dealer agreement under which dealers rejected independent actions towards free sale of cars and spare parts to them as well as taking part in the tenders for their supplying to certain categories of customers (government structures).

In the opinion of the antimonopoly body these contract provisions can restrict competition on the markets of spare parts to Mercedes-Benz cars in the Russian Federation.

The Law “On Protection of Competition” prohibits agreements between economic entities (except “vertical; agreements”) if established that such agreements can result in restricting competition.