NIZHNY NOVGOROD PROCUREMENT CENTRE IS AGAIN SUSPECTED OF UNLAWFUL AGREEMENTS

Elements of anticompetitive actions are revealed at auctions for school meals supply

Unscheduled on-site inspections of FAS and the Commercial Crime and Corruption Unit of the Chief Department of the Ministry of Interior in the Nizhny Novgorod region exposed new events of anticompetitive agreements concluded by “Unified Municipal Procurement Centre” Municipal Enterprise with economic entities.

Based on the received materials and data provided by the Investigation Department of the Investigation Committee of the Russian Federation in the Nizhny Novgorod region, an antimonopoly case was opened against “Unified Municipal Procurement Centre” Municipal Enterprise, “Nizhny Novgorod Grocery Company” Ltd., “Nizhny Novgorod Logistics Company” Ltd., “Tortila” Ltd., “Lindovskoye” Ltd., “Buturlinskoe Milk” Ltd., “Milk River” Ltd. and others upon elements of violating Clause 3 Part 4 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”.

Earlier Nizhny Novgorod OFAS already held “Nizhny Novgorod Grocery Company” Ltd., “Nizhny Novgorod Logistics Company” Ltd., “Tortila” Ltd., “Lindovskoye” Ltd., “Grand-NN” Ltd., “Atlantic-NN” Ltd., “Buturlinskoe Milk” Ltd., “Milk River” Ltd. and other economic entities as respondents in an antimonopoly case. At the time of passing a decision on the case, however, there was no sufficient evidence confirming anticompetitive agreements between “Unified Municipal Procurement Centre” Municipal Enterprise and economic entities, so the latter ceased to be brought in the proceedings as the respondents.

Earlier Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department Andrey Tenishev pointed out: “Three things can deter potential violators: first - inevitable punishment, second - severe and fair punishment, and third – breeding intolerance to cartels and anticompetitive agreements in Russian corporate society”.