Russia: �SUN Interbrew� plays fair, Kursk Arbitration Court says

The Arbitration Court of Kursk District ruled on 07 June to cancel the decision of the Federal Antimonopoly Service dating from 16.11.2005, �SUN Interbrew� released.

On November 16 2005, the Federal Antimonopoly Service has found �SUN Interbrew� and several distributors in Kursk District guilty of breaking the �Federal low on competition and the restriction of monopolistically activity in the commodity market�. The brewer was found guilty of conducting coordinated actions leading to the obstruction of the competition in Kursk District wholesale beer market.

The decision was made by taking into account that Kursk subsidiary of �SUN Interbrew� had a dominant position in the local commodity market.

�SUN Interbrew� stated that there were no coordinated actions or agreements between the company and the distributors aiming to prevent, to provide restrictions or to eliminate other competitors from delivering beer to Kursk market. �SUN Interbrew markets beer strictly according to the legislation,� the company said.

Olga Paskina, legal specialist at �SUN Interbrew� said: �The sentence gave in our favor reflects the Court being impartial and fair in conducting this case. We highly appreciate that, especially taking into account the fact that we were the first brewery to face such charges in Kursk District.�