On the outcome of 9 months of 2011

In order to build and enhance the competitive environment in the commodity markets of  the Republic Ministry of Economy, regional executive committees and Minsk City Council in 2011 continued their work on prevention, restriction and suppression of monopolistic manifestations of economic entities which occupy the dominant position in the commodity markets and government.

Assessment of the level of monopolization of commodity markets was carried out by the commodity markets analyses. During the period were analyzed:

• at the national level – 47 commodity markets;
• at the local level - 100 local commodity markets.

Regarding formation and maintenance of the state register of economic entities with dominant position at commodity markets (hereinafter - the Register), by the results of the study of commodity markets the dominant position of the economic entities was established and included in the Registry:

• at the national level -8 business entities;
• at the local level - 56 business entities.

On account of the loss of a dominant position were excluded from the register:

• at the national level - 9 business entity;
• at the local level - 26 business entities.

In order to prevent the development and strengthening of the dominant position at the commodity markets, there was a constantly exercising state control over economic concentration, including:

• at the national level - issued 17 opinions on the agreement on the establishment of holding companies, associations  on the assumption of compliance with antitrust laws, 5 of  them are aimed at reorganization  of  the businesses through a merger, 8 – at the reorganization of legal entities with dominant position on commodity markets into joint stock companies, 36 –at concluding deals for acquiring  shares in the statutory funds of legal persons;
• at the local level – considered 59 projects for creation, reorganization of business entities and their associations.

Following the review of petitions were approved: 43 reorganizations by merger of business entities, reorganization of five business entities into JSC; creation of 1 association and 4 holding companies. 103 petitions on the accommodation of transactions on acquiring shares in the statutory funds of business entities were considered.

In the scope of the state antimonopoly control over compliance with antimonopoly legislation there were discussed:

• at the national level – 32 petitions from business entities, authorities and citizens on the issues of compliance with the antitrust regulation.

The College of Price Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy made the decisions for 8 applications of violations of antimonopoly legislation in terms of unfair competition, including the recognition of 3 cases of unfair competition (Article 14.2 of “The Law on Counteraction to Monopolistic Activities and Promotion of Competition).

• at the local level - over 149 letters and applications on the issues of antimonopoly regulation and compliance with antimonopoly legislation. Within  the observance of antimonopoly legislation by regional executive committees, Minsk City Council established 10 cases of violations of antimonopoly laws, five violations were committed by business entities  and 2 by authorities.