Antimonopoly Committee proposes to strengthen fight against cartel conspiracy and price manipulation

The Antimonopoly Committee has proposed a new mechanism for interdepartmental cooperation to monitor prices and curb violations of competition law. For this, a corresponding draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers has been developed. 

Objectives of the new mechanism are:

- organization of constant monitoring of prices (tariffs) in order to prevent anti-competitive actions related to unjustified changes in prices of goods and services;

- prompt response to violations of competition law related to cartel agreements and conspiracies, price manipulations and other anti-competitive actions;

- ensuring non-discriminatory access of market participants to socially significant consumer, monopoly and highly liquid types of goods and services in order to maintain a healthy competitive environment.

At the first stage, the State Statistics Committee monitors the prices of socially significant consumer goods and services in all regions of the country in trade and service organizations, as well as in mixed and food markets.

The list of products proposed for monitoring includes goods and services of mass consumer demand, taking into account their relative importance for consumption by the population, their stable availability on sale, etc.

The monitoring includes a total of 85 types of both domestic and imported goods, as well as 21 types of services.

The fixing of prices (tariffs) for goods (services) will be carried out by statistical bodies every month from the 10th to the 20th day throughout this period.

Moreover, it is proposed that SSC no later than the 5th day of the next month will send generalized information on prices (tariffs) for goods (services) to the Antimonopoly Committee.

In order to identify and prove price manipulation, cartel agreements and collusion, as well as other anti-competitive actions, the Antimonopoly Committee will interact with the State Tax Committee, the State Customs Committee, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Interior Ministry.

If anti-competitive actions are identified, the Antimonopoly Committee will initiate and consider cases of law violations on competition, natural monopolies, consumer protection and advertising. 

To date, the draft document is in the process of coordination with relevant ministries and departments.