Sergey Puzyrevsky presented a concept of the Tariff Law

The proposed draft law will be an integrated and key document regulating relations in the field of tariff regulation in the Russian Federation.

On 20 October 2016, Deputy Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) Sergey Puzyrevskyat discussed the main provisions of a draft Federal Law “On the Basics of Government Regulation of Prices (Tariffs)” at a workshop on tariff regulation on 20-21 October in Yalta.

“The document lays the principle of ensuring sustainable and non-discriminatory conditions for business activities in fields subject to government tariff-regulation”, said Deputy Head of FAS.

The draft Law also outlines some other important principles:

- Tariff-setting based on an economic rational

- Long-term tariff-setting

- Openness of the work of regulated subjects and regulators.

Then Deputy Head of FAS discussed amendments on information openness of natural monopolies.

“The tariff-setting procedure must be transferred in the electronic form”, thinks Sergey Puzyrevsky.

The draft Law provides for establishing a common electronic regulation, to combine collection, analysis and processing of documents and materials.  

“Such measures will disclose the relevant information for consumers efficiently and clearly”, pointed out Deputy Head of FAS.

Sergey Puzyrevskyalso highlighted the amendments to the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, enabling a differential approach to the fines for violating the tariff law.

For instance, FAS proposes that officials of regulating bodies must be fined 30,000 RUB – 50,000 RUB for setting tariffs too high; repeated violations should be punished by disqualification for 1-3 years. Smaller fines are expected for breaching the tariff decision-making rules: 20,000 – 40,000 RUB.

Finally, Sergey Puzyrevskystated that in the near future all legislative initiativeswould be discussed with representatives of the authorities and the business community.