OREANDA-NEWS. April 26, 2013. The 9th Arbitration Appeal Court dismissed the claim of Arkhangelsk Regional Legislature to invalidate the decision of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) that prohibiting retail sales of certain types of alcohol products in the Arkhangelsk region is unacceptable.

On 20 August 2012, FAS found that a law of the Arkhangelsk region contradicted the antimonopoly law. From 1 July 2012, retail sales of alcoholic beverages with 0.5% - 9% ethyl alcohol in the finished products, wine beverages with 1.5% - 9% ethyl alcohol in the finished products, and beverages based on beer (beer beverages) in the Arkhangelsk region are prohibited.

Investigating the case, FAS established that the Legislature had prohibited retail sales of certain types of alcohol products allowed for circulation and complied with mandatory government standards and sanitary-and-epidemiological norms.

For instance, retail sales of beer beverages is prohibited in the region, but beer, wine and spirits can be sold.

FAS concluded that unreasonable prohibition of retail sale of certain types of alcohol products permitted for sales was contrary to Part 1 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and Sub-Clause “B” Clause 4 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On the Fundamental Principles of Government Regulation of Trading Activities in the Russian Federation”.

Members of Arkhangelsk Legislature attempted to challenge the decision at Court. However, Moscow Arbitration Court and the 9th Arbitration Appeal Court confirmed legitimacy and reasonableness of the FAS decision.