FAS: CARTEL PROSECUTION IS IN THE FOCUS OF INTERESTS OF ALL CONTRACT SYSTEM PARTICIPANTS

Grigory Radionov, Head of the Anti-Cartel Department of FAS Russia, discussed it during the All-Russian Forum-Exhibition STATE ORDER

Anticompetitive agreements annually cause significant damage to the country's GDP. In their illegal activities, the participants of such agreements use new methods, including digital technologies.

In order to effectively combat cartels, the state needs to adapt appropriate tools. Thus, FAS Russia is constantly improving the methodology of its work, including by attracting experts from various industries and digitalizing the processes of identifying cartel agreements.

Among the priority areas, the authority highlights control over compliance with antimonopoly legislation in the implementation of national projects, control in socially significant markets, expanding the possibilities of using digital means to combat cartels and interaction with law enforcement agencies to timely prevent anticompetitive violations.

The authority pays special attention to the issue of combating cartels at auctions – their share reaches 85-90 % of the total number of cases initiated relating to anticompetitive collusion. In 2022, FAS Russia brought to responsibility more than 400 business entities, and the total amount of contracts in which violations were detected exceeded 72 billion rubles. Most often, cartel agreements are identified in the sectors of road management, construction, pharmaceuticals, housing and communal services, and real estate.

At the end of his speech, Grigory Radionov told the forum participants about the most common schemes that customers use to create preferential conditions for certain procurement participants, including the so-called "crushing", "professional", "force majeure", "impossible task" and "sharpening". The speaker also noted that the effective fight against cartels and their timely suppression meets the interests of all participants in the contract system and has a positive impact on the economy of the state.