The second session of FAS Research-and-Methodological Council in Saratov
The second session of FAS Research-and-Methodological Council of Educational Organizations and Departments of Competition Law and Antimonopoly Regulation (the Council) took place on 25 November 2016.
It was an off-site event on the basis of the centre for training specialists on competition law and procurement at Saratov State Law Academy.
The session was opened by Head of Saratov OFAS, Deputy Council Chairperson, Lyudmila Borisova. She pointed out that it was the second session taking place in Saratov after establishing the Council. Apart from the Council members, attendees included Heads of the regional Offices of the antimonopoly body from three Federal Districts (the Central, Privolzie, and Urals), a judge of the Court of the Eurasian Economic Union, a lecturer from M. Utemisov West Kazakhstan State University, and representatives of the leading Saratov universities as well as a judge of the 12th Arbitration Appeal Court.
The welcoming addresses to the event participants were given by First Vice-Rector, Vice-Rector on Academic Affairs at Saratov State Law Academy, Sergey Tumanov; and Deputy Head of FAS, Council Chairman Sergey Puzyrevsky.
Sergey Puzyrevsky congratulated Saratov State Law Academy with the 85th anniversary, pointing out that it is one of the leading universities in Russia that trains specialists eagerly sought on the labour market. He also congratulated Saratov OFAS with the 25th anniversary of its establishing. Finally, Sergey Puzyrevsky described the situation in the system of antimonopoly regulation. He emphasized that due to a complex economic situation “artificial” monopolies tend to mushroom on a lot of markets. “The number of state and municipal unitary enterprises has doubled in two years. Many of them operate on competitive markets, as a result of which they become non-competitive”, said Sergey Puzyrevsky.
The agenda included discussions on: a draft working programme for a “Competition Law” course; explanations on applying Article 10 the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and Article 9.21 of the Code on Administrative Violations; and some pressing issues of tariff regulation in Russia.
It was already the second round of discussions on the draft working programme for a “Competition Law” course. The programme was approved upon analyzing the submitted proposals and an in-depth consideration.
Head of FAS Legal Department Artem Molchanov presented draft explanations to some Articles of the antimonopoly law and the Code on Administrative Violations. Speakers in the follow-up discussion included representatives of Saratov State Law Academy and Stolypin Povolzhie Institute of Management, at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
Yulia Yudina, Head of FAS Department for Regional Tariff Regulation talked about important aspects of tariff regulation in Russia. In particular, she focused on enhancing efficiency of interaction between sectoral and tariff regulators, and legislatively formalizing the uniformity of approaches to tariff regulation in the natural monopolies and the types of activities that are “tentatively adjacent” to natural monopolies.
Considering the issues raised by the speaker, reports were given by an associate professor of the Department of Heating and Nuclear Power Industries at Saratov State Technical University; and Head of Saratov OFAS. For instance, Lyudmila Borisova outlined the role of the FAS regional body in the local tariff regulation.
Summing up, Sergey Puzyrevsky invited the Council members to take part in discussing a draft law on the fundamental principles of state regulation of prices (tariffs) and submit their opinions and proposals on the explanations to the antimonopoly law that are under discussion.