THE II EURASIAN CARTEL FORUM DISCUSSED INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN JOINT INVESTIGATIONS

“No barriers can stop violators if there are economic benefits. That is why we try to strengthen our international cooperation to counter cartels”, said Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department Andrey Tenishev

He pointed out at a number of obstacles to robust efforts. In his view, for example, “collaborative mechanisms are spelt out legislatively; but going beyond these boundaries, the work ends”.

Describing a case against container carriers, Andrey Tenishev explained: “We were facing various difficulties – from legal to procedural. Issues and problems of international cooperation are not hypothetical for us, and the experience taught that they must be solved”.

Deputy Head of FAS Anti-Cartel Department, Mukhamed Khamukov added that “international documents and conventions regulate investigation of criminal and administrative cases but not antimonopoly cases” and underlined a declarative nature of numerous documents concerning interaction between agencies.

He stressed that “we must reach arrangements on a general Anti-Cartel Convention. Such conventions already exist: against counterfeiting, money laundering, foreign bribery, and tax abuse. The level of danger from international cartels is no less high”.

Summing up the discussion, Andrey Tenishev concluded that “cartels are an evil, and an absolute evil. Understanding the need to counter them must prevail economic interests of particular jurisdictions”.