FAS Russia: introducing a Unified State Automated Information System can become an administrative barrier for independent producers of beer, cider, perry and mead

On 20th March 2014, Deputy Head of the Department of the Federal Antimonopoly Service for Control over the Authorities, Andrey Kuznetsov, took part in the First National Conference on “Independent Brewing, Cider- and Mead-Making in Russia”. The Conference brought together representatives of Russian small and medium business involved in brewing, cider- and mead-making.

Andrey Kuznetsov discussed the main areas of FAS activities for protecting small business involved in production of beer, cider, perry and mead, and presented the position of the antimonopoly authority on the pressing issues in the industry.

One of the main themes at the Conference was the draft law on introducing the Unified State Automated Information System (USAIS) on the markets of beer, cider, perry and mead production. Taking into account the expert opinions on a practically complete absence of counterfeit products on these markets, FAS believes that introducing USAIS can become an excessive administrative barrier for small and medium business.

A representative of the Antimonopoly Service emphasized that USAIS is justified in retail.

“We belive that in a year or two USAIS shall be a competitive advantage for a retail outlet as an indicator of the absence of illegal and counterfeit products. That is why entrepreneurs can be proactive and introduce USAIS independently”, summed up Andrey Kuznetsov.