OREANDA-NEWS. January 14, 2014. In 2013, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) organized two extended sessions of FAS Expert Council for developing competition on the markets of production and circulation of alcohol products and three sessions of the Working Groups of the Expert Council.

Participants discussed several issues on development of competition in the sector. Representatives of the leading industry business associations, the Federal Service for Regulating Alcohol Market in the Russian Federation (Rosalcoholregulirivanie) and other federal and regional authorities took part in the work of the Expert Council.

For instance, the expert community and FAS looked into the issues of regional protectionism in the subjects of the Russian Federation, subsidies for producers of alcohol products, development of sectoral law at both the federal and regional levels, particularly, the impact of proposals for prohibiting use of PET-packaging, requirements to warehousing premises upon competition, as well as development of competition in public catering segment.

Based on the work of the Expert Council, FAS and its regional offices initiated 9 cases on violating the antimonopoly cases. In three regions investigations continue.

“In 2013 the Expert Council was very productive. Direct involvement of the Expert community stopped subsidizing of producers of excise goods and suppressed unlawful intervention of the authorities in performance of certain markets. I am convinced that in 2014 the Expert Council will be no less efficient. The plans for 2014 include the impact of the proposed legislative initiatives upon the state of competition and suppressing regional protectionism”, said the Head of FAS Department for Control over the Authorities, Vladiir Mishelovin.