Vitaly Korolev: FAS is efficiently pursuing the openness mechanisms

FAS Expert Council on the Housing & Utility Complex supported a draft FAS plan for implementing the openness principles in 2017

On 31 May 2017, Deputy Head of FAS Vitaly Korolev chaired a meeting of the FAS Expert Council on the Housing & Utility Complex.

The first part of the meeting focused on FAS goals and objectives for 2017 and implementing the openness principles.

“Overall, expert estimate that FAS is rather efficient in pursuing the openness mechanisms. The event participants pointed out at a high level of FAS openness, prompt response to the questions raised and placing data in public access” said Vitaly Korolev. “All expert proposals on enhancing openness and transparency of FAS work as well as proposals on the areas of developing antimonopoly control and tariff regulation will be studied carefully and taken into consideration in their further work”.

The second part of the meeting was devoted to changes in the tariff legislation.

Further on members of the Expert Council discussed changes to the tariff legislation and the adopted regulatory acts. According to Head of FAS Department for Regulation in the Housing & Utilities Sector, Alexei Matyukhin, in the past five months four documents were adopted designed to protect savings of heat suppliers, and clarifying the functions of the work of an integrated heat supplier and its tariffs. He explained, how concession agreements will be fulfilled in the part of costs accounting and an act aimed at a particular approach to business profit in tariff-setting, also supported by the Government of the Russian Federation”.

Special attention was paid to a transition from 1 January 2018 to free contracts in heating supply.

Active involvement of heads and staff of regional tariff bodies as well as regulated organizations in improving the current law should be emphasized.

The Expert Council made a decision to additionally consider several issues by Working Groups formed by the Expert Council.

Head of FAS Department for Control over Housing & Utility Complex, Alexei Matyukhin, summed up the session results.