Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 16.12.2002

Federal Law No. 173-FZ of December 12, 2002 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Georgia on the Principles of Collection of Indirect Taxes from the Export and Import of Commodities (Works, Services)

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on July 10, 2001.

Federal Law No. 172-FZ of December 12, 2002 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Principles of Collection of Indirect Taxes in Mutual Trade

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on May 4, 2001.

Federal Law No. 171-FZ of December 12, 2002 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Moldova on the Principles of Collection of Indirect Taxes in Mutual Trade

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Kishinev on May 29, 2001.

Federal Law No. 168-FZ of December 11, 2002 on the Amendments to Articles 18 and 20 of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Social Protection of Citizens Exposed to Radiation Because of the Disaster at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

From January 1, 2002, increases the amounts of pensions and allowances to non-working pensioners and invalids, invalid children living in the residence zone permitting resettlement, as well as the resettlement zone, before they are moved to other regions. Before January 1, 2002, the mentioned payments were fixed in percent of the minimum amount of old-age pensions and allowances.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication and applies to legal relations emerging from February 12, 2001 (day of entry into force of the Federal Law No. 5-FZ of February 12, 2001 on the amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on the social protection of citizens exposed to radiation because of the disaster at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station).

Federal Law No. 166-FZ of December 11, 2002 on the Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on the Trade Marks, Service Marks and the Names of the Places of Origin of Commodities

The amendments are aimed at improvement of the organizational and legal conditions of ensuring the legal protection of trade marks and the names of the places of origin of commodities.
Article 4 describes the conditions when the use of the mark in the world computer network Internet may be regarded as a violation of the rights of its owner.
The new wording is provided for Articles 6 and 7 specifying the absolute and other reasons of refusal to register an image as a trade mark. The mentioned articles permit to register the images having become distinguished in the process of prolonged use, do not permit to register the specially valued objects of the cultural heritage of the peoples of the Russian Federation without a special permission for it, prohibit registration of the mark in the name of an agent or representative of the person possessing the trade mark in one of the member-countries of the international agreement of the Russian Federation without the permission of this owner.
The Law envisages an opportunity to appeal against legal protection of the trade mark and its registration if the registration has been recognized as an act of dishonest competition or in cases of abuse of the right for the trade mark by the owner.
The Law prohibits to register as trade marks the images with a reference to the place of origin of wines or strong alcoholic drinks if such images intended to mark the mentioned commodities do not originate in the mentioned places.
The Law abolishes the Chamber of Appeals and the Higher Patent Chamber while handing over their functions to the Chamber of Patent Disputes.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 833 of December 11, 2002 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Processing or Destruction of Withdrawn from Illegal Circulation or Confiscated Ethyl Alcohol, Alcohol and Alcohol-Containing Products

Withdrawn or confiscated products are handed over by the authorized state bodies on the basis of the act of transfer to the Russian Federal Property Fund for processing into the ethyl alcohol for technical uses or into alcohol-containing non-edible products or for destruction if such processing is impossible. Organizations authorized to carry out such industrial processing or destruction are determined on the contest basis. Obligatory conditions for participation in the contest are availability of the license, as well as the absence of the debts in taxes and fees.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 881 of December 11, 2002 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Granting Subventions from the Federal Budget to Finance State Purchasing Interventions for Food Grain in 2002-2003

Subventions are granted to pay the interests and fines under credits obtained by the organization in the Savings Bank of Russia to finance the mentioned interventions, services in storage of the purchased grain, as well as to reward organizations. To get the subventions, the organization presents on the monthly basis to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation the documents the list and requirements of which being determined by this Ministry. Within 10 days from the date of getting the subventions, the organization must present the report of their use to the Ministry of Agriculture. Subventions are granted within specified limits of budget obligations and monthly maximum volumes of financing.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 878 of December 10, 2002 on the Implementation of the General Agreement Between All-Russia Associations of Trade-Unions, All-Russia Associations of Employers and the Government of the Russian Federation for the Years 2002-2004

Endorses the plan of measures of the Government of the Russian Federation to implement the agreements described in the General Agreement. Defines the essence of the measures, time limits for their implementation and responsible executors in the sphere of economic policy, earnings and the cost of living of the population, development of the labour market and promotion of employment, social insurance and protection, labour safety, ecological safety and other spheres.