FAS presented its experience in investigating antimonopoly cases at an international workshop in Budapest
Head of Omsk OFAS discussed with foreign colleagues a case against “Gazpromneft-Centre” that abused market dominance in the region fixing petrol prices
On 7 – 9 March 2017 representatives of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) took part in a workshop on “Market Definition” in Budapest (Hungary), organized by Hungary Regional Competition Centre of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The event got together experts from France, Germany, the US and officers of the competition authorities of Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and some other countries.
The Russian delegation at the workshop was represented by Head of Omsk OFAS, Vadim Kabanenko, and an advisor to FAS Transport Regulation Department, Elmira Gajibekova.
The workshop looked at the main challenges preventing development of competition in the modern world. In particular, attention was paid to countering abuses of market dominance by economic entities and cartels as well as tightening control over economic concentration due to mergers of large companies under the globalization conditions.
The event participants exchanged market analysis experience in the context of investigating antimonopoly cases, discussed the main approaches to defining the product and geographic market boundaries, and examples of investigations carried out by particular countries.
A report by Vadim Kabanenko on an antimonopoly case of Omsk OFAS against “Gazpromneft-Centre” Ltd.generated an interest of foreign colleagues in the context of the company reputation and scope. OFAS ascertained the fact of abusing dominance by the company in the region when fixing petrol prices.
The workshop enabled learning about international experience of market analysis and determined the prospects of further international cooperation between competition authorities.