OREANDA-NEWS. November 29, 2013. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) imposed a turnover fine upon “United Trade Company” OJSC (“ETK) that participated in a prohibited “vertical” agreement on the market of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

Earlier FAS found that “United Trade Company” OJSC violated the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” (Clause 1 Part 2 Article 11) by concluding a prohibited “vertical” agreement, which resulted in fixing the minimum reselling price for baking soda.

FAS held “United Trade Company” OJSC administratively liable. The turnover fine was 19.5 million Rubles.

FAS repeatedly investigated “United Trade Company” OJSC due to violating the antimonopoly law. The total fines imposed by FAS upon “United Trade Company” OJSC reached 1,175,900,000 Rubles.

“Recently FAS has paid special attention to the chemical sector. FAS investigated cases on violating the antimonopoly law on the markets of caustic soda, polyvinyl chloride, hepsol and baking soda”, said the Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Andrey Tenischev.

In May 2011 “United Trade Company” OJSC was fined 100,000 Rubles for violating Clause 2 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” by exercising concerted actions and maintaining prices at tenders for the right to conclude government contracts for supplying anti-icing reagents. On 15th December 2011, FAS recognized that “United Trade Company” OJSC violated Clauses 1, 3 and 4 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” by concluding and participating in an agreement that resulted in fixing and maintaining prices on the wholesale markets of supplying liquid caustic; the company was fined 912 million Rubles. On 17th December 2012, FAS pronounced that “United Trade Company” OJSC violated Clause 3 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” by concluding an agreement that led or could have led to dividing the market of polyvinyl chloride suspension and fined it 244.3 million Rubles.