Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 30.04.2004

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 26n of March 1, 2004 on the Reports of the Specialised Depositary of Operations with Resources of Accumulated Pensions

Endorses the form of the report of the specialised depositary of the types and cost of securities and the report of the deals concluded with resources of accumulated pensions, as well as the Instruction on the procedure of filling and submission of these reports.

The reports are submitted to the Ministry of Finance of Russia, the Pension Fund and the Federal Commission for Securities Market of Russia on the monthly basis no later than the 10th of the month following the reported one by sending the electronic document or the one on paper medium with simultaneous sending of the electronic form of the report over the electronic mail. The reports are submitted for each contract of trust control concluded by the management company with the Pension Fund, as well as a summary report for all resources of accumulated pensions handed over by the Pension Fund in trust control.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5692.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 29n of March 11, 2004 on the Reports of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation on the Building and Investing of Resources of Accumulated Pensions

Endorses the forms of the reports: of insurance contributions to finance the accumulated part of the labour pension received in the Pension Fund and their temporary placing, of the payments made from the resources of accumulated pensions, of the resources of accumulated pensions registered in the special part of individual personal accounts of the insured, of the results of investing of resources of accumulated pensions handed over in trust control to the management companies, of the handing over of resources of accumulated pensions intended for the financing of the accumulated part of the labour pension.

Defines the procedure of filling and submission of the mentioned reports of the Pension Fund on the building and investing of the resources of accumulated pensions. Reports for the year 2002 are submitted simultaneously with the reports for the year 2003. Quarterly reports are submitted beginning with the reports for the I quarter of 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5691.

Decision of the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation No. 27 of March 3, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Lists of the Types of Jobs, Occupations, Positions Permitted for Employing the Citizens Undergoing Alternative Civil Service and Organisations Envisaging Alternative Civil Service

Lists the types of jobs, occupations, positions permitting employment of citizens undergoing alternative civil service indicating the OKPDTR (All-Russia Classification of Occupations, Positions and Tariff Grades) and the ETKS codes.

Also lists organisations envisaging alternative civil service.

Decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 2 of March 17, 2004 on the Application of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation by Courts

Explains individual issues of application by courts of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation entered into force from April 1, 2002. Provides general rules of resolving of labour disputes by courts, explains provisions on the case admissibility and jurisdiction of the labour disputes. The summary contains the issues pertaining to disputes on conclusion, changing and discontinuation of the labour contract, provided guarantees to employees, applied disciplinary action, paid out earnings, granted leaves and other.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 177 of March 16, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure of Checking of Organisations and Natural Persons in Cases of Sufficient Information Showing the Sings of Crimes Pertaining to Legislation of the Russian Federation on Taxes and Fees

Defines the procedure of checks of organisations and natural persons arranged by the bodies of internal affairs if there is sufficient information showing the signs of a crime pertaining to violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation on taxes and fees. Lists the officials of the bodies of internal affairs authorised to take decisions to arrange such checks.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5696.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 266 of March 4, 2004 on the Rules of Carrying out of Individual Operations in Cases of Use of the Customs Regime of Processing of Commodities on the Customs Territory

Defines the procedure of handing over and revocation of the permission for the processing of commodities on the customs territory, as well as suspension of the mentioned regime and submission of reports of its use.

Application for the handing over of the permission for the processing to another Russian entity is considered by the customs office within 3 days from the day of their receiving. The same time limit is used to consider an application for the suspension of the customs regime of processing on the customs territory. The Order specifies the duty of the applicant to submit at least once in three months to the customs office having issued the permission for processing a report drawn up in free form in writing of execution of the requirements and terms of the mentioned customs regime, as well as copies of the third sheets of the cargo customs declaration used for the customs registration of the products of processing, waste and residues as of the day of submission of the report.

The Order is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5694.

Order of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation No. 19723A/1048/922 of December 27, 2003 on the Endorsement of the "Goals of Trips" List Used by the Authorised State Bodies of the Russian Federation to Draw up Invitations and Visas to Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons

Lists 87 possible goals of trips of foreign citizens indicated in the issued visas and used to draw up invitations and visas to foreign citizens. For each detail, there is a corresponding status of the entering person, category and type of the visa, number of times of its use and effective period.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5689.

Ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 43-O of February 5, 2004 on the Refusal to Accept for Consideration the Appeal of Citizen N.G.Talankin against Violation of His Constitutional Rights by Provisions of Item 2 of Article 56 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

The applicant challenged the constitutionality of Item 2 of Article 56 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation stating that the taxpayer may refuse to use the exemption or suspend it for one or several tax periods if otherwise is not envisaged in the Code.

The Constitutional Court has ruled that the voluntary refusal of the taxpayer from the tax exemption before its expiry hampers the mechanism of calculation and payment of the value added tax, thus blocking the implementation of the constitutional duty to pay the legally fixed taxes and fees and impairs significantly tax control. The taxpayer exempted from the duty pertaining to the calculation and payment of the value added tax may not include the amount of this tax in the price of the commodity.

Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. BG-3-23/192@ of March 12, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Issue by the Tax Bodies of the Documents of Absence of Debts in the Payment of Taxes by Natural Persons Expatriating from the Russian Federation

When expatriating from the Russian Federation, the applicant natural persons shall get the document from the tax body of the absence of debts in the payment of taxes.

The natural person having lived earlier on the territory of the Russian Federation (RSFSR) shall get the document of absence of debts in the payment of taxes in the tax body at the most recent place of residence against the written application drawn up in free form. The tax bodies shall consider presented documents within ten days and take the decision to issue the certificate of absence of debts in the payment of taxes.

If case of available debts, the tax body shall notify the applicant in writing of the impossibility to issue the certificate, indicating the reasons of the refusal.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2004. Reg. No. 5698.

Decision of the Federal Commission for Securities Market No. 04-3/ps of February 10, 2004 on the Regulation of Activities of Specialised Depositaries of Joint-Stock Investment Funds, Shared Investment Funds and Non-State Pension Funds

Lists the requirements to activities of specialised depositaries of joint-stock investment funds, shared investment funds and non-state pension funds, as well as specialised depositaries having concluded contracts for services to the Pension Fund or a non-state pension fund being an insurer under obligatory pension insurance.

Defines the procedure of registration of the property and particulars of storage and registration of the rights for securities. Lists control functions of the specialised depositary, terms of implementation of the functions of a specialised depositary by its branch, as well as defines the requirements to the schedules and documents.

Specialised depositaries are ordered to bring their activities in compliance with the requirements of the endorsed Regulation within one month.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5693.

Federal Law No. 15-FZ of April 2, 2004 on the Ratification of the Protocol of Endorsement of the Regulation on the Procedure of Organisation and Carrying out of Joint Antiterrorist Measures on the Territories of the Member-States of the Commonwealth of Independent States

Ratifies the Protocol singed in Kishinev on October 7, 2002 with the following reservations.

Servicemen and other persons forming part of the special antiterrorist formations of the Russian side and participating in the joint antiterrorist measures on the CIS territory are under jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. Special means and materials used to support the Russian special antiterrorist formations are the property of the Russian Federation and may not be appropriated and/or alienated in any form by the requesting side. Russian Federation preserves the right to apply the provisions of the Protocol only to the special means and materials used to support the special antiterrorist formations, the list being endorsed by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 152 of April 3, 2004 on the Representation of the Interests of the Government of the Russian Federation in the Courts of General Jurisdiction and Courts of Arbitration

Since there are changes in the system and structure of the federal bodies of executive power, and before appropriate changes are introduced in the Procedures of the Government of the Russian Federation, representation of the interests of the Government of the Russian Federation in the courts of general jurisdiction and courts of arbitration shall be vested without additional orders in the federal ministries, as well as the federal services subordinate to the Government of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 151 of April 3, 2004 on the Amendment to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 327 of June 5, 2003

The temporary rates of the import customs duties for individual types of polyvinylchloride are fixed on the permanent basis.

The Decision is entered into force from April 11, 2004.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 30n of March 11, 2004 on the Endorsement of the New Wording of the Blank Form of the Application of the Insured for the Choice of Investment Portfolio (Management Company) and Its Filling Instruction Endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 56n of June 30, 2003

Endorses the new wording of the blank form of the application of the insured for the choice of the investment portfolio (management company) and its filling Instruction.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 2, 2004. Reg. No. 5708.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of April 6, 2004 on the Case of Constitutionality of Provisions of Item 2 of Article 87 of the Merchant Marine Code of the Russian Federation and the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 538 of July 17, 2001 on the Activities of Non-Governmental Organisations in Ship Pilotage Pursuant to the Appeal of the International Public Organisation "Association of Sea Pilots of Russia" and the Independent Non-Commercial Organisation "Society of Sea Pilots of St.Petersburg"

During the examination, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation remarked that provisions of Paragraph 1 of Item 2 of Article 87 of the Merchant Marine Code of the Russian Federation specifying that the seal pilot is a worker of the pilotage service of a state-run organisation is an imperative norm. According to its literal meaning, the person other than the one being a worker of the pilotage service of a state-run organisation may not possess the status of a sea pilot.

Meanwhile, Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the same item of Article 87, as well as Article 88 of the Merchant Marine Code of the Russian Federation, not only acknowledge opportunities of creation of non-governmental organisations in ship pilotage, but also regulate the procedure of state supervision of their activities, not permitting to associate pilotage activities exclusively with a governmental organisation.

Thus, provision of Paragraph 1 of Item 2 of Article 87 of the Merchant Marine Code of the Russian Federation may not be regarded as clear and definite - while in the system of available legal regulation, taking into account the meaning attached to the provisions of Item 2 of Article 87 in the judicial practice, it is not excluded to permit for pilotage the pilots of non-governmental organisations engaged in ship pilotage - thus contradicting Articles 19 and 34 (Part 1) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

The federal legislator also did not define the criteria and guidelines to specify the particulars of non-governmental organisations engaged in ship pilotage, leaving it to the discretion of the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation has ruled to recognise as not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation provisions of Item 2 of Article 87 of the Merchant Marine Code of the Russian Federation and the interconnected with it Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 538 of July 17, 2001 on the activities of non-governmental organisations in ship pilotage.

The federal legislator must work out a regulation of activities of non-governmental organisations in ship pilotage.

Federal Law No. 16-FZ of April 5, 2004 on the Amendments to Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law on the Amendments to Chapter 26.1 of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and Some Other Acts of the Legislation of the Russian Federation

To improve the efficiency of taxation regime of agricultural producers, Chapter 26.1 "Taxation System for Agricultural Producers (Uniform Agricultural Tax)" of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation is extended to include the following provisions.

VAT amounts accepted for exemption by agricultural producers before the switchover to the uniform agricultural tax for commodities (works, services), including the fixed assets and non-material assets, purchased for operations recognised as objects of taxation for the value added tax must not be restored (paid to the budget) when switching over to the uniform agricultural tax.

When switching over from the uniform agricultural tax to the common taxation regime, VAT amounts presented to the payers of this tax for commodities (works, services), including the fixed assets and non-material assets, purchased before the switchover to the common taxation regime are not subject to exemption when calculating the value added tax. The time limit for submission of applications for the switchover to the uniform agricultural tax by agricultural producers is prolonged till June 1, 2004.

The Federal Law shall apply to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2004. The Federal Law is entered into force one month from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Federal Commission for Securities Market No. 04-7/ps of February 18, 2004 on the Amendments to the Regulation on the Composition and Structure of Assets of Joint-Stock Investment Funds and Assets of Shared Investment Funds Endorsed by the Decision of the Federal Commission for Securities Market No. 31/ps of August 14, 2002

Permits a number of investment funds to include in their corporate name the words "mortgage fund". Defines the requirements to the composition and structure of assets of closed-type shared investment funds qualified as mortgage funds category.

The assets of the periodic-redemption shared investment fund qualified as stocks fund category may include ordinary stocks of Russian closed-type joint-stock companies. There are additional requirements to the structure of assets of such fund, namely: the estimate value of such stocks may not be greater than 10% of the cost of assets.

There are also additional requirements to the structure of assets of the closed-type shared investment fund and the joint-stock investment fund qualified as stock fund category. Thus, the estimate value of securities of a single issuer (except for the state securities of the Russian Federation and the state securities of the subjects of the Russian Federation) may not be greater than 50% of the cost of assets.

There are also changes in the composition of assets of the closed-type shared investment funds qualified as other fund categories and the requirements to these compositions.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 5, 2004. Reg. No. 5712.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1399-U of March 24, 2004 on the Amendments to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 205-P of December 5, 2002 on the Rules of Accounting Work in Credit Organisations Located on the Territory of the Russian Federation

The chart of accounts in credit organisations is extended to include new Accounts 478, 61207, 61208 and 91310 pertaining to investments in the purchased claims rights, their withholding (sale) and redemption. The accounts are intended to register investments in the purchased claims rights from third parties, execution of obligations in the monetary form and reserves for possible losses in investments in the purchased claims rights. Account 91310 is used to register the nominal cost of the purchased claims rights corresponding to the total volume of the purchased claims rights including the main debt, interest, penalty (fines).

The Direction provides the procedure of accounting work for such operations. Specifies that the procedure for analytical records is defined in the accounting policy of the credit organisation, with analytical records being arranged for each contract including each mortgage deed.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

The text of the Direction has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on April 7, 2004, No. 21.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2004. Reg. No. 5703.

Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. SAE-3-22/210 of March 18, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Uniform Agricultural Tax and Its Filling Procedure

Endorses the form of the tax declaration for the uniform agricultural tax (KND form 1151059) and defines its filling procedure.

The declaration is filled out by the taxpayers using the system of taxation for agricultural producers (uniform agricultural tax) in compliance with Chapter 26.1 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation for the reported (tax) period. The declaration is submitted at the end of the reported period - no later than within 25 days from the end of the reported period. The declaration is submitted at the end of the tax period: by organisations - no later than March 31, by independent entrepreneurs - no later than April 30 of the year following the expired tax period.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2004. Reg. No. 5702.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 330 of March 17, 2004 on the Fixed Amount of Secured Customs Payments for Excisable Commodities

Specifies fixed amounts of secured customs payments for imported excisable commodities: alcoholic products, tobacco items, gasoline, cars and other. The backing rate for the secured customs payments for cars is differentiated depending on the engine power rating and may vary from EUR 3,000 to EUR 25,000.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2004. Reg. No. 5701.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1394-U of March 18, 2004 on the Invalidation of the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1223-U of December 17, 2002 on the Particulars of Purchase by Resident Legal Entities of Foreign Currencies for the Currency of the Russian Federation at the Internal Currency Market of the Russian Federation for the Purposes of Payments under the Contracts of Import of Commodities to the Russian Federation

The invalidated Direction specified the duty of the resident legal entity buying foreign currencies for the purposes of payments under the contract of import of commodities to present to the authorised bank the purchase order and the certified copy of the cargo customs declaration after importing the commodities. In these cases, the purchase of foreign currencies for the mentioned purposes before the import of commodities was permitted only under the condition of opening of a bank deposit by the resident legal entity in the executing bank in the currency of the Russian Federation in the amount of 20% of the amount of resources in the currency of the Russian Federation used to purchase the foreign currency.

The text of the Direction has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on April 7, 2004. No. 21.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2004. Reg. No. 5700.

Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. SAE-3-09/207 of March 17, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Documents Used to Register Taxpayers in the Product-Sharing Agreements, As Well As the Particulars of Registration of Foreign Organisations Acting As Investors under the Product-Sharing Agreement or Contract Operator

Endorses the following forms: No. 9-SRPZ "Application for Registration in the Tax Body of the Taxpayer under the Product-Sharing Agreement" and No. 9-SRPZ "Certificate of Registration in the Tax Body of the Taxpayer under the Product-Sharing Agreement".

The tax body must register the taxpayer within five days from the day of submission of all necessary documents by him and, within the same time limit, issue the certificate of registration.

If the part of the mineral deposit provided for use under the product-sharing agreement is situated on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation and/or within the boundaries of the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation, registration is made in the tax body at the place of location of the taxpayer.

The Order also defines the particulars of registration of foreign organisations acting as investor under the product-sharing agreement or contract operator.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2004. Reg. No. 5699.

Telegram of the Central Bank of Russia No. 37-T of April 2, 2004

In the II quarter of 2004, the rouble equivalent of the registered capital for created banks regardless of the share of foreign capital in them, as well as the rouble equivalent of own resources (capital) of operating credit organisations requesting the general license for bank operations and non-bank credit organisations requesting the status of a bank, must be at least Rbl 174,002,500.

The rouble equivalent of the registered capital for created non-bank credit organisations must be at least Rbl 17,400,250.

The text of the Telegram has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on April 7, 2004, No. 21.

Federal Law No. 17-FZ of April 6, 2004 on the Amendment to Article 42 of the Federal Law on Joint-Stock Companies

Refines the notion of "net profit" used to pay out the dividends. Specifies that the source of the dividends is the company profit after taxation (company net profit). Company net profit is determined from the company accounting reports. Dividends for preferred stocks of certain types may also be paid out at the expense of the earlier built for these purposes special company funds.

The Federal Law is entered into force from July 1, 2004.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 490 of April 6, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation

The Administration of the President of the Russian Federation is a state body providing for the activities of the President of the Russian Federation and ensuring control over execution of his decisions. The Decree defines the composition of the Administration, its subordination, goals of activities, functions and sphere of reference.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.

Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 22 of March 9, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure of Registration and Spending of Resources of Obligatory Social Insurance

Defines the procedure of spending and registration of resources of obligatory social insurance built at the expense of the uniform social tax, uniform agricultural tax, uniform imputed income tax for individual types of activities, uniform tax paid by organisations and independent entrepreneurs using the simplified system of taxation transferred to the Fund, as well as insurance contributions paid out on the voluntary basis and other resources.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 2, 2004. Reg. No. 5710.

Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 24 of March 17, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Methodology Directions on the Procedure of Assigning, Carrying out of the Documentary On-Site Checks of Insurants under Obligatory Social Insurance and Taking Measures upon Them

Defines uniform requirements to the assigning, carrying out by the divisions of the Social Insurance Fund of Russia and their branches of the documentary on-site checks of insurants under obligatory social insurance paying the uniform social tax, employer insurants using special tax regimes, including those paying on the voluntary basis insurance contributions to the Fund for obligatory social insurance of employees in cases of temporary disability, to the drawing up and the form of the acts of checks, as well as to the procedure of taking decisions upon consideration of the materials of the checks.

The criteria for the choice of insurants for the checks are the periods of carried out checks (at least once a year), significant expenses of the insurant under obligatory social insurance in the checked period, as well as significant amounts received from the Fund division (branch) in compensation of expenses in obligatory social insurance.

The duration of the check is calculated in calendar days and may not be greater than two months. When checking insurant organisations with branches and representations, the time of the check is increased by not more than one month for each branch and representation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 2, 2004. Reg. No. 5709.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 104 of February 19, 2004 on the Organisation of Work of the Bodies of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation When Considering the Issues of Citizenship of the Russian Federation

Defines the procedure of consideration by the bodies of internal affairs of applications and the procedure of drawing up of materials pertaining to the citizenship of the Russian Federation. The functions of the drawing up of materials pertaining to the citizenship are vested in the divisions of the passport and visa service of the bodies of internal affairs. Applications pertaining to the citizenship of the Russian Federation and the documents necessary for obtaining the citizenship or expatriation from the Russian Federation are submitted to the departments of internal affairs of the region, city, city region or other municipal formation, departments of internal affairs in closed administrative territorial formations, at the special and regime objects.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 2, 2004. Reg. No. 5707.

Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. SAE-3-09/255 of April 2, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Recommended Forms of Reports Used to Register Information on Legal Entities and Natural Persons

In view of the simplification of the procedures of state registration of legal entities and independent entrepreneurs, endorses the recommended forms of reports used to register information on these persons: No. S-09-1 "Report of the Opening (Closing) of the Account", No. S-09-2 "Report of Participation in the Russian and Foreign Organisations", No. S-09-3 "Report of Creation of a Separate Division Located on the Territory of the Russian Federation" and No. S-09-4 "Report of Reorganisation of the Legal Entity".

Decision of the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation No. 42 of April 5, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Filling of the Forms of Applications of the Insured for the Transfer from the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation to a Non-State Pension Fund Providing Obligatory Pension Insurance and on the Transfer from a Non-State Pension Fund Providing Obligatory Pension Insurance to the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation

Defines the requirements to the filling of the forms of applications of the insured for the transfer from the Pension Fund to a non-state pension fund providing obligatory pension insurance and on the transfer from a non-state pension fund providing obligatory pension insurance to the Pension Fund. It is permitted to submit the application in a simple form rather than on the blank form, while observing the specified form of the application.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2004. Reg. No. 5727.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 283 of March 9, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Particulars of Carrying out of Customs Operations Pertaining to Sea Fishery Products Moved across the Customs Border of the Russian Federation by Russian Fishery Vessels

Specifies the particulars of the customs operations in cases of declaring of the caught outside the Russian Federation and imported water biological resources and products of their processing by sea fishery vessels, as well as in cases of declaring of the mentioned products caught in the internal sea waters, the territorial sea and exported by vessels outside the Russian Federation.

Customs duties and taxes are not collected at the customs registration. Sea fishery products caught and/or produced by vessels outside the territorial sea and supplied outside the Russian Federation without vessels entry in the Russian ports (roadstead) is exempted from the customs registration.

The Order is entered into force 90 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 6, 2004. reg. No. 5718.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 353 of March 23, 2004 on the Amendments to the Order of the State Customs Committee of Russia No. 55 of January 20, 2004

Changes the lists of the specialised customs bodies authorised to carry out customs operations for the transport vehicles moved by natural persons.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 6, 2004. Reg. No. 5717.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 357 of March 24, 2004 on the Assigning of the Competent Customs Bodies in Charge of the Customs Operations for Diplomatic Mail and Commodities Moved by Individual Categories of Foreign Citizens

Lists the customs bodies located in Moscow, Moscow Province, St.Petersburg and the Leningrad Province authorised to carry out customs operations with diplomatic mail and the consular pouch.

The authority to carry out customs operations for motor vehicles and trailers to them imported/exported by foreign citizens enjoying customs exemptions when the senders or recipients are the residents of Moscow and the Moscow Province is vested exclusively in the Butovo Customs Post of the Moscow Western Customs Office.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 5, 2004. Reg. No. 5716.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1403-U of March 25, 2004 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1297-U of June 21, 2003 on the Procedure of Drawing up of the Card with Signature and Seal Specimens

Specifies the procedure of drawing up of the card with signature and seal specimens in the presence of the authorised official of the credit organisation (branch) or authorised division of the payment network of the Bank of Russia.

Sets froth that the authorised person puts his own signature on the back of the card in the credit organisation (branch) or division of the payment network of the Bank of Russia in confirmation of the act of signing in his presence.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 5, 2004. Reg. No. 5715.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 187 of March 19, 2004 on the Implementation of the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 759 of December 18, 2003

Endorses the form of the protocol of the arrest of the transport vehicle and the form of the protocol of the prohibition to operate a transport vehicle. Provides the form of the typical contract of interaction of officials of the bodies of internal affairs of the Russian Federation with the persons in charge of the storage of transport vehicles on the specialised parking and their handing out.

Defines the procedure of registration of arrested transport vehicles and the procedure of handing over to the appropriate division of the Military Highway Inspection of the arrested transport vehicle of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to place it on the garrison assembly point of arrested vehicles before the reasons of the arrest are eliminated and the vehicle is returned to the owner.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 5, 2004. Reg. No. 5714.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 187 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation"

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and normative regulation in the sphere of economic development, foreign-trade activities, trade, customs affairs, state statistics, tariff rates of the subjects of natural monopolies, management of the federal property, insolvency (bankruptcy) of organisations, management of the state material reserves, cadastre of the objects of immovable property, entrepreneurial activities and small businesses. The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control over activities of supervised by it Federal Service of State Statistics, Federal Customs Service, Federal Service of Tariff Rates, Federal Agency of State Reserves, Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property, Federal Agency of the Federal Property Management.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 185 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation"

The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the uniform state financial, crediting, monetary policy and normative regulation in the financial sphere, including the budget, taxation, insurance, foreign currency spheres, sphere of state debts, audit activities, accounting and accounting reports, extraction, production, processing of precious metals and precious stones, customs payments, including determination of the customs cost of commodities and transport vehicles, as well as the working out of the financial policy in the sphere of state service and judicial system. The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation is in charge of coordination and control over activities of supervised by it Federal Tax Service, Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement, Federal Service of Financial and Budget Enforcement and the Federal Service of Financial Monitoring.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 183 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Agriculture"

The Federal Agency of Agriculture is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services in the sphere of agroindustrial complex, state property management at the subordinate enterprises and in institutions, as well as judicial functions. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 182 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Fishery Agency"

The Federal Fishery Agency is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services in the sphere of fishing, state property management at subordinate enterprises and in institutions, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of rational use, study, conservation and reproduction of water biological resources and their habitat. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 181 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation"

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working of the state policy and normative regulation in the sphere of agroindustrial complex, stable development of agricultural territories, as well as the study, conservation, reproduction and use of objects of fauna qualified as objects of hunting, water biological resources and their habitat. The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control over activities of supervised by it Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Enforcement, Federal Agency of Agriculture and the Federal Fishery Agency.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 180 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Technological Enforcement"

The Federal Service of Technological Enforcement is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of industrial safety of hazardous industrial objects, observation of the adopted procedure of use of mineral resources and requirements of mining works, safety of electric power stations (other than the nuclear ones), electric, thermal plants and networks (other than the household plants and networks), hydro-technical structures at industrial and power-supply objects, production safety, storage and use of explosives of industrial destination, as well as the special permission functions and licensing within their sphere of reference. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 179 of April 7, 179 "Issues of the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies

The Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and normative regulation in the sphere of the industry, defence industry and fuels and power supply complexes, in the sphere of use of nuclear power, outer space activities and development of aircraft equipment, construction, architecture, housing policy, housing and communal complex, nuclear and technological enforcement, as well as the functions of the federal body of technical regulation and the national body of standardisation.

The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control of activities of supervised by it Federal Service of Nuclear Enforcement, Federal Service of Technical Regulation and Metrology, Federal Service of Technological Enforcement, Federal Agency of Nuclear Power, Federal Outer Space Agency, Federal Agency of the Industry, Federal Agency of Construction and the Housing and Communal Services and the Federal Agency of Power Supplies.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 178 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Intellectual Property, Patens and Trade-Marks"

The Federal Service of Intellectual Property, Patents and Trade-Marks is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of legal protection and use of objects of intellectual property, including the patents and trade-marks. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 177 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Archives Agency"

The Federal Archives Agency is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of the state services, federal property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of archives. The Federal Archives Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 176 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Communication

The Federal Agency of Communication is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of communication and informatisation. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 175 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of the Sea and River Transport"

The Federal Agency of the Sea and River Transport is a federal body of exertive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of the sea and river transport, including the sea fishing ports for the purposes of development of the transport complex. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 174 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of the Railway Transport"

The Federal Agency of the Railway Transport is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of the railway transport. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 173 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Highway Agency"

The Federal Highway Agency is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of highway transport and highway maintenance. The Federal Highway Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 172 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of the Air Transport"

The Federal Agency of the Air Transport is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of air transport and the civil part of the Joint System of Air Traffic Control. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 171 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Use of Mineral Resources"

The Federal Agency of Use of Mineral Resources is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of use of mineral resources. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 170 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Forestry Agency"

The Federal Forestry Agency is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the forestry sphere. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 162 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation

The Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and the normative regulation in the sphere of the air, sea, internal water, railway, highway and city electric (including the underground), industrial transport, highway maintenance, communication and informatisation. The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control of activities of supervised by it Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Transport, Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Communication, Federal Agency of the Air Transport, Federal Highway Agency, Federal Agency of the Railway Transport, Federal Agency of the Sea and River Transport and the Federal Agency of Communication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 160 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation"

The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and normative regulation in the sphere of use of natural resources, protection of the environment and ecological safety. The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control of activities of supervised by it Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Ecology and Use of Natural Resources, Federal Agency of Water Resources, Federal Forestry Agency and the Federal Agency of Use of Mineral Resources.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 158 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation"

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and normative regulation in the sphere of education, scientific, scientific and technical and innovation activities, intellectual property, as well as in the sphere of the youth policy, up-bringing, social support and social protection of the students of educational institutions.

The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control of activities of supervised by it Federal Service of Intellectual Property, Patens and Trade-Marks, Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Education and Science, Federal Agency of Science and the Federal Agency of Education.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 157 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation

The Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the federal policy and normative regulation in the sphere of culture, arts, cinematography, means of mass information and mass communication, archives and nationality relations. The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control of activities of supervised by it Federal Archives Agency, Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography and the Federal Agency of the Press and Mass Communication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 153 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation"

The Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and normative regulation in the sphere of public health, social development, labour, physical culture, sports, tourism and protection of consumer rights. The Ministry is in charge of coordination and control of activities of supervised by it Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being, Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Public Health and Social Development, Federal Service of Labour and Employment, Federal Agency of Public Health and Social Development, Federal Agency of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism, as well as coordination of activities of the Pension Fund, Social Insurance Fund and the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 204 of April 9, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Tariff Rates"

The Federal Service of Tariff Rates is a federal body of executive power in charge of the regulation of natural monopolies providing for the state regulation of prices (tariff rates) in electric power industry, oil and gas complex, on the railway and other types of transport, for the services of transport terminals, ports, airports, services of public tele- and postal communication, as well as for other types of commodities (works, services). The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 203 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement"

The Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of insurance activities. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 202 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of the Cadastre of the Objects of Immovable Property"

The Federal Agency of the Cadastre of the Objects of Immovable Property is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions pertaining to the keeping of cadastres of the objects of immovable property, land planning, inventory taking of objects of immovable property, state cadastral assessment of lands, assessment of other objects of immovable property and the state monitoring of lands. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 201 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Enforcement"

The Federal Service of the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Enforcement is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of veterinary, quarantine measures and plant protection, selection achievements, protection, reproduction, use of objects of fauna qualified as objects of hunting, water biological resources. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 198 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Financial and Budget Enforcement"

The Federal Service of Financial and Budget Enforcement is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the financial and budget sphere, as well as the functions of the currency control body. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. Before the entry into force of the new federal law on currency control and currency regulation, the Federal Service shall issue permissions to residents to delay payments for the export of commodities (works, services, results of intellectual activities).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 197 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Power Supplies"

The Federal Agency of Power Supplies is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of production and use of the fuel and power resources. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 196 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Construction and the Housing and Communal Services"

The Federal Agency of Construction and the Housing and Communal Services is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of construction and the housing and communal services. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 194 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Technical Regulation and Metrology"

The Federal Service of Technical Regulation and Metrology is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of technical regulation and metrology, issue of individual legal acts in their sphere of reference, as well as the special functions in the sphere of technical regulation and metrology for the purposes of defence and state security. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 193 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of the Press and Mass Communication"

The Federal Agency of the Press and Mass Communication is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well judicial functions in the sphere of the press, means of mass information and communication, including the public-use computer networks, in the sphere of electronic means of mass information, publishing and printing activities. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 190 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of the Industry"

The Federal Agency of the Industry is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical, petrochemical, biotechnology, medical, light, forestry, paper and pulp and wood processing, aircraft, ship-building, electronic industries, industry of construction materials, means of communication, radio industry, production of ammunition, special chemistry and chemical disarmament, conventional armaments industry. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 189 of April 7, 2004 " Issues of the Federal Antimonopoly Service"

The Federal Antimonopoly Service is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement of observation of the legislation on the competition at commodity markets and the market of financial services, on natural monopolies, advertising, as well as of issue of individual legal acts within their sphere of reference in the specified sphere of activities. The Federal Antimonopoly Service is supervised by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 188 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of State Statistics"

The Federal Service of State Statistics is a federal body of executive power in charge of the building of official statistical information on the social, economic, demographic and ecological situation in the country, as well as the functions of control and enforcement in the sphere of state statistical activities on the territory of the Russian Federation. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 186 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Financial Monitoring"

The Federal Service of Financial Monitoring is a federal body of executive power authorised to take measures to combat legalisation (laundering) of incomes obtained in a criminal way and financing of terrorism and coordinating activities in this sphere of other federal bodies of executive power. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 184 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Transport"

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Transport is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of the air, sea (including navigation safety and order in the sea fishing ports), internal water, railway, highway and city electric (including the underground), industrial transport and highway maintenance, as well as the functions of technical supervision of sports vessels. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 165 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Public Health and Social Development"

The Federal Agency of Public Health and Social Development is a federal body of executive power in charge of the judicial functions, rendering of state services and state property management in the sphere of public health and social development. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 163 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Communication"

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Communication is a federal body of executive power in charge of control in the sphere of communication and informatisation, as well as the state enforcement in the sphere of communication. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 161 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Ecology and Use of Natural Resources"

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Ecology and Use of Natural Resources is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of ecology and use of natural resources. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 156 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Labour and Employment"

The Federal Service of Labour and Employment is a federal body of executive power in charge of the judicial functions in the sphere of labour, employment and alternative civil service, control and enforcement of observation of the labour legislation and other normative legal acts containing the norms of labour legislation, legislation on employment, alternative civil service, rendering of state services in the sphere of providing employment and protection against unemployment, employment migration and regulation of collective labour disputes. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 155 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Public Health and Social Development"

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Public Health and Social Development is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of public health and social development. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 154 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being"

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of sanitary and epidemiological well-being, protection of consumer rights and at the consumer market. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 206 of April 9, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Financial Markets"

The Federal Service of Financial Markets is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement at financial markets and is supervised by the Government of the Russian Federation. Before introduction of changes in the actual legislation, the functions of management and support of the work of the Commission for Commodity Exchanges are vested in the Federal Service. The mentioned Service is also responsible for the territorial bodies of the abandoned Federal Commission for Securities Market.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 203 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement"

The Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of insurance activities. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 200 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Federal Property Management"

The Federal Agency of Federal Property Management is a federal body of executive power in charge of the federal property management, including the land relations, rendering of state services and judicial functions in the sphere of property relations. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation. Before introduction of changes in the legislation, the licensing of assessment activities shall be vested in the mentioned Agency.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 199 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of State Reserves"

The Federal Agency of State Reserves is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of management of the state material reserves. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 195 of April 8, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Outer Space Agency"

The Federal Outer Space Agency is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of investigation, use of the outer space for peaceful purposes, international cooperation in the implementation of joint projects and programs in the sphere of outer space activities, as well as the works on the outer space missiles of military destination and strategic combat missiles carried out by organisations of the outer space missile industry. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 192 of April 7, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Nuclear Enforcement"

The Federal Service of Nuclear Enforcement is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement of the safety of use of the nuclear power on the territory of the Russian Federation (except for the activities pertaining to the development, production, testing, operation and utilisation of nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants of military destination), including the licensing, as well as the special functions of state security in the mentioned sphere. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 191 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography"

The Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of culture and cinematography. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communication of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 169 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Water Resources"

The Federal Agency of Water Resources is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of water resources. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 168 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Education"

The Federal Agency of Education is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management, as well as judicial functions in the sphere of education, up-bringing and youth policy. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 159 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Education and Science"

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Education and Science is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of education and science. The Federal Service is supervised by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1412-U of March 30, 2004 on the Fixing of the Amount of Transfer by a Resident Natural Person from the Russian Federation without the Opening of Bank Accounts

The resident natural person may transfer from the Russian Federation without opening a bank account in the authorised bank foreign or Russian currency in the amount not more than USD 5,000 equivalent according to the official rates specified by the Bank of Russia as of the date of the transfer order to the authorised bank. The total amount of such transfers within one operative day may not be greater than the mentioned amount.

The Direction is entered into force from June 18, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2004. Reg. No. 5730.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1411-U of March 30, 2004 on the Opening by Resident Natural Persons of Accounts in the Banks outside the Territory of the Russian Federation

Resident natural persons may open bank accounts in the Russian or foreign currencies in the banks located on the territories of foreign states other than OECD or FATF members, as well as bank accounts in the Russian currency in the banks located on the territories of foreign OECD or FATF member-states, after preliminary registration of the opened account in the tax bodies at the place of registration of the resident natural person according to the procedure specified by the Government of the Russian Federation in coordination with the Bank of Russia.

The Direction is entered into force from June 18, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2004. Reg. No. 5732.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 39-T of April 9, 2004 on the Application of Individual Provisions of the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 102-I of July 22, 2002 on the Rules of Issue and Registration of Securities by Credit Organisations on the Territory of the Russian Federation

Lists the documents submitted additionally by credit organisations to the territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia to register the issue of the bonds secured by third parties. Also lists the documents submitted by credit organisations to the body in charge of registration for the state registration of the report of the results of issue (additional issue) of securities.

Specifies the particulars of recording of information on the front page of the risk bonds prospectus.

Information Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 27 of March 26, 2004 "Summary of the Practice of Application of the Normative Acts of the Bank of Russia on Currency Regulation and Currency Control"

In case of delayed supply of imported commodities for reasons other than those depending on the parties of the contract, the importer may redraw the deals certificate by submitting to his bank an application letter explaining the reasons of the delayed supply of commodities. In this case, column "Last Date" of the redrawn deal certificate is used to show the adjusted date of the termination of the customs registration of the last consignment of the commodity imported under the contract to be suggested by the importer independently.

In cases when an international treaty of the Russian Federation envisages the duty of the Russian Federation to ensure a complete and timely conversion of the currency of the Russian Federation by non-resident participants of these international treaties, the monetary resources on the type N rouble accounts of the mentioned non-residents are exempted from the requirements of Item 3.8 of the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 93-I on the procedure of purchase of foreign currencies.

Stateless person possessing a residence permit in the Russian Federation, when carrying out currency operations, must act as a resident while presenting to the authorised bank the above residence permit.

When a non-resident natural person presents a passport or other valid personal identification document to the authorised bank, the authorised bank may not refuse to open accounts, carry out operations on the accounts, carry out currency exchange operations, as well as render other bank services, including the cases when the presented documents show that the time of stay of the given person on the territory of the Russian Federation expired.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 519 of April 10, 2004 on the Improvement of Labour Remuneration of the Persons Occupying Individual State Positions of the Russian Federation and Persons Occupying Individual State Positions in the Federal State Service

Fixes new amounts of salaries for individual positions occupied by the federal state servants in the central offices of the federal ministries and federal services supervised by the Government of the Russian Federation, central offices of the federal services and federal agencies subordinate to these federal ministries. The mentioned servants shall also get monthly supplements to the salary for the qualification grade (class), special conditions of state service, length of service and bonuses for the results of work.

From March 9, 2004 increases 2.1 times the monetary subsistence of the President of the Russian Federation and the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Lists the servants getting monthly and quarterly monetary awards and the amounts of these awards.

The Decree applies to persons assigned to state positions in the Government of the Russian Federation, federal bodies of executive power supervised by the Government of the Russian Federation (from March 9, 2004), employees of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation (from March 26, 2004) and the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. The Decree is entered into force from the day of its official publication with exceptions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 167 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Science"

The Federal Agency of Science is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions (except for control and enforcement functions) in the sphere of scientific, scientific and technical and innovation activities. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 166 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism"

The Federal Agency of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of physical culture, sports and tourism. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of Russian Federation No. 164 of April 6, 2004 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Nuclear Power"

The Federal Agency of Nuclear Power is a federal body of executive power in charge of the rendering of state services, state property management and judicial functions in the sphere of use of nuclear power, development and safe work of the nuclear power industry, nuclear defence complex, nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear science and equipment, nuclear and radiation safety, non-proliferation of nuclear materials and technologies, as well as international cooperation in the mentioned sphere. The Federal Agency is supervised by the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in issues of the nuclear defence complex.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1417-U of April 1, 2004 on the Form of the Register of Bank Obligations to Depositors

Specifies the procedure of registration of bank obligations to natural person depositors when the banks attract monetary resources in deposit, the form of the register of the bank obligations to depositors and its building procedure. Bank obligations to depositors, as well as the bank cross-demands to depositors are registered in the currency of the obligation (claim). When concluding the bank deposit contract or bank account contract, the bank must obtain information of the type and details of the personal identification documents of the depositor. The Direction provides the form of the register and the excerpt from it.

At the demand of the Bank of Russia (its territorial division), the bank must provide for the building of the register of obligations as of the particular date within 7 days.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2004. Reg. No. 5745.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 390 of March 29, 2004 on the Places of Declaring of White Sugar and Sugar-Containing Products

Lists the customs bodies specified as the places of declaring of individual types of white sugar and sugar-containing products imported from Belarus to recipients in Moscow and the Moscow Province.

The Order is entered into force 90 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2004. Reg. No. 5744.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1365-U of December 30, 2003 on the Particulars of Direct Repurchase Operations Carried out by the Bank of Russia with Credit Organisations

The direct repurchase operations are repurchase deals with blocked backing when the seller of the bonds under the first part of the deals and the buyer of the bonds under the second part of the deal is a credit organisation, and the buyer of the bonds under the first part of the deal and the seller of the bonds under the second part of the deal is the Bank of Russia.

Direct repurchase deals are carried out only with credit organisations having concluded a special agreement with the Bank of Russia, as well as an additional agreement to the contract for correspondent account/subaccount(s) to provide to the Bank of Russia an indisputable right to write off the fine and/or amount of residual obligations. The Direction provides a sample form of the agreement.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2004. Reg. No. 5741.

Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. BG-3-24/180@ of March 4, 2004 on the Sending of Information on the Opening (Closing) of a Bank Account and the Changing of the Bank Account Number of Legal Entities and Independent Entrepreneurs between the Bank and the Tax Body in the Electronic Form over Telecommunication Channels

From April 1, 2004 introduces the new procedure of sending of information on the opening (closing) of a bank account and the changing of the bank account number between the bank and the tax body in the electronic form over telecommunication channels.

Defines the particulars of organisation of information exchange in the cases of sending of such information.

The procedure applies to the banks submitting information on the opening and closing of a bank account and changing of the bank account number in the electronic form.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2004. Reg. No. 5739.

Regulation on the Procedure of Building and Spending of the Normalised Insurance Reserve of Financial Resources of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance (Endorsed by the Decision of the Management Board of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance No. 11/08 of February 26, 2004)

The normalised insurance reserve of financial resources of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance is created to support financial stability of the system of obligatory medical insurance. The given resources are reserved for the cases of emergency situations of financing of the programs of obligatory medical insurance during the year.

The reserve is built in the amount of 8% of the resources (not more than the monthly amount) intended for the levelling of financial conditions of work of the territorial funds of obligatory medical insurance in the framework of the basic program of obligatory medical insurance. The Regulation lists the cases permitting to spend the resources of the normalised insurance reserve.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2004. Reg. No. 5738.

Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 31 of March 1, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Average Values of the Main Figures for the Estimation of Discounts and Mark-ups for Insurance Tariff Rates for Obligatory Social Insurance against Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases in 2004

Provides three groups of the main figures for each sector (subsector) of the economy: ratio of the amount of insurance support for all of the occurred insured cases to the accrued amount of insurance contributions, number of insured cases per thousand employees, number of days of temporary disability per insured case.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 320 of March 15, 2004 on the Amendments to the Order of the State Customs Committee of Russia No. 1368 of December 1, 2003

Changes the lists of the customs bodies authorised to accept customs declarations regardless of the customs regime or exclusively for commodities moved by natural persons, as well as those placed under the customs regimes of international customs transit, re-export (when exporting commodities directly from the points of transfer through the state border) and duty-free trade.

The Order is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2004. Reg. No. 5737.

Letter of the Department of Management of the State Internal Debt of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation of April 16, 2004 on the Making of the Blank Printed Items Protected against Forgery

Activities in the making of the protected printed items must be carried out taking into account the technical requirements and conditions of making of printed items of appropriate level of protection while entering personal information on the blank forms of each client on the obligatory basis. It is necessary to indicate the name of the bank and its details.

Letter of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. 07-013/888@ of March 10, 2004 on the Classifier of the Types of Products

Pursuant to the endorsement of the new formats of submitted declarations of the volumes of production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products in the electronic form, conveys the classifier of the types of products to be applied from the I quarter of 2004 when filling out such declarations.

Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. CAE-3-30/290 of April 16, 2004 On the Organization of Work Associated With Tax Administration of Major Tax Payers and On Approval of Criteria To Classify Russia's Organizations - Legal Entities As Major Tax Payers Subject To Tax Administration At Federal and Regional Levels

The criteria used to classify Russia's organizations - legal entities as major tax payers subject to tax administration are indicators of the financial and economic activity over an accounting year taken from the financial statements of an organization and also the relations of interdependence between organizations.
Thus, an organization may be declared to be a major tax payer at the federal level when the aggregate amount of accruals of federal taxes and fees exceeds 1 (one) billion Roubles or the aggregate amount of earnings from the sale of goods, products, work, services exceeds 10 (ten) billion Roubles. At the regional level the said indicators are ranging from 75 (seventy five) million up to 1(one) billion Roubles (the aggregate amount of accrued taxes and fees) and from 1 (one) up to 10 (ten) billion Roubles (the aggregate amount of yearly earnings) respectively.
The administration is effected at the federal level (at specialized industry-oriented interregional inspectorates of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation for major tax payers) and at the regional level (at interdistrict inspectorates of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation for major tax payers set up within the departments of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation for the subjects of the Russian Federation).
Organizations may be classified as major tax payers when one of the above listed indicators was present in any accounting year, beginning from the year 2000. An organization shall be a major tax payer within three calendar years, following the year in which it ceased to meet the specified criteria. The Order was put into effect since its signature date.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of Russia No. 28-2001-20/817/SSH

During the period of organizational activities conducted in accordance with Decree of President of the Russian Federation No. 314 of March 9, 2004 On the System and Structure of Federal Bodies of Executive Authority it suspends the acceptance of applications from applicants for licenses to carry out auditing activities.

Decision of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation No. 41 of March 30, 2004 On the Approval of Forms of Certificate Confirming the Disability Status, of Extract From the Report of Examination of Citizen Found To Be Disabled To Be Issued by Agencies of the State Medical and Social Examination Service and Of Recommendations For Filling Them In

It approves the form of certificate (code 1503004) confirming the granting of a disability status to be issued by agencies of the State Medical and Social Examination Service and also of an extract (code 1503003) from the report of examination of citizen found to be disabled.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 19, 2004. Registration No. 5758.

Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 26 of March 22, 2004 On Making Changes and Amendments in the Methodological Directives For Performing In-Chamber Audits of Insurers of Obligatory Social Insurance and of Obligatory Social Insurance Against Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases

It fixes the period during which the executive body of the Fund is obligated to notify the Insurer of non-fulfillment by it of obligations to present accounts and reports and of the necessity to make good eventual irregularities in execution of same - not later than within the next following working day since receipt of the pay-roll. It cancels the provision to the effect that the executive body of the Fund has no right to refuse to accept the insurer's reports. It reduces from 5 down to 2 working days the period during which the insurer shall amend the reports proceeding from the results of the in-chamber audit.
It also approves basic forms of documents to be used in performing in-chamber audits: decision to institute proceedings against the insurer, request to make amendments in the reports, request to make payments of arrears of insurance premiums and of penalty, request to pay penal sanction, etc.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 16, 2004. Registration No. 5757.

Directive of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1410-Y of March 30, 2004 On the Criteria That the Bank Outside the Territory of the Russian Federation Must Comply With To Ensure the Fulfillment of Obligation of the Non-Resident Vis-a-Vis the Resident

It prescribes that the bank outside the territory of the Russian Federation must meet one of the following criteria, viz.:
- to have not lower than "AA3" indicator of the long-term creditability rating awarded to it by the "Moody's" rating company or not lower than "AA-" indicator awarded by the "Standard and Poor's"/"FITCH Ratings" rating company;
- to rank among 1000 major banks by the amount of assets according to the "Banks' Bulletin" (the use may be made of any issue of the reference book issued in a calendar year preceding a calendar year of the transaction).
Directive shall take effect as from June 18, 2004.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 16, 2004. Registration No. 5754.

Directive of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1416-Y of April 1, 2004 On the Procedure For Preparation and Submission by the Banks of Reports On the Residues of To-Be-Insured Monetary Funds of Individuals Placed Into Deposits

It approves a new quarterly form of banks' reports (code of form 0409345) "Data On the Daily Residues of To-Be-Insured Monetary Funds of Individuals Placed Into Deposits" and procedure for preparation and submission of same.
The Directive shall take effect upon the expiration of 10 days after its official publication in "the Bulletin of the Bank of Russia".
The report shall be presented to a territorial agency of the Bank of Russia within a period not later than on the fifteenth day of the first month of the quarter following the quarter under review. The first accounting period is a period running from the day of entering the bank into the register of banks put on the register within the system of insurance of deposits until the day of termination of a respective quarter inclusive.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 16, 2004. Registration No. 5751.

Directive of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1409-Y of March 29, 2004 On the Amending the Regulations of the Bank of Russia No. 227-P of May 14, 2003 On the Procedure For Account-Keeping and Submission of Information On the Affiliated Persons of Credit Institutions

It declares invalid form of bank reports No. 053 (code 0409053) "Data On the Financial and Industrial Group Which Comprises Credit Institution As Its Member". The data on the said groups shall be submitted as part of forms 0409051 "List of Affiliated Persons" and 0409052 "List of Affiliated Persons Belonging to the Group of Persons Which Comprises Credit Institution As Its Member" which data shall be set forth in a new wording. The Directive shall take effect upon the expiration of 10 days after its publication in "the Bulletin of the Bank of Russia".
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 15, 2004. Registration No. 5749.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia No. 35n of March 31, 2004 On Making Changes and Amendments In the Terms of Issuance and Circulation of Federal Loan Bonds With Debt Amortization, Approved By Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia No. 37n of April 27, 2002 (registered with the Ministry of Justice of Russia in May 13, 2002 under No. 3427)

It establishes that the interest rate of the coupon income may be either a fixed one for each coupon period of an individual issue of bonds or a variable one. In case of bonds with a fixed interest rate of the coupon income, the amount of the interest rate and of the coupon income in respect of all coupons shall be announced not later than two working days before the commencement of placing the issue. In case of bonds with a variable interest rate, its amount shall be determined, proceeding from official indicators characterizing the inflation. The amount of the interest rate of the coupon income and of the coupon income under the first coupon shall be announced not later than two working days before the commencement of the placing, under the second and next following coupons, including the last one - not later than two working days before the date of payment of income under the preceding coupon.
Earlier, the interest rate of the coupon income could only be a fixed one for each coupon of an individual issue of bonds.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 15, 2004. Registration No. 5748.

Order of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 101 of April 2, 2004 On the Duration of Temporary Stay In the Russian Federation of Foreign Nationals Signing Up For Military Service Under Contract

The duration of temporary stay in the Russian Federation of foreign nationals who arrived in the Russian Federation and are signing up for military service under contract shall be fixed proceeding from the time required to legalize the enlistment for military service and may not exceed 90 (ninety) days from the filing of an application by citizen to a military enlistment office of a subject of the Russian Federation stating his desire to do military service under contract.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 20, 2004. Registration No. 5761.

Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 27 of March 23, 2004 On the Organization of Work of Executive Bodies of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation Associated With the Registration of the Insured

It defines a procedure of work of executive bodies of the Social Insurance Fund of Russia in effecting the registration of legal entities as persons insured and for taking them off the register. Legal entities shall, as they are registered as the insured under obligatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases, shall also be registered as the insured under obligatory social insurance. The keeping of registers of the persons insured shall be effected by using the "Social Insurance" single integrated information system.
In the process of registration, a person insured shall be given a registration number to be indicated in the Notice of registration and also a code of subordination.
It also defines a procedure for registration by executive bodies of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation of legal entities and also of individuals who made a labor contract with an official and of individuals who are obligated to pay insurance premiums in connection with the conclusion of a civil contract. The registration of the persons insured shall be effected on the basis of applications after the specified forms to be submitted by the legal entity at the place of location of a separate subdivision - within the period of not later than 30 (thirty) days from the setting up of such separate subdivision, by an individual - within the period of not later than 10 (ten) days from the conclusion of a labor contract or of a respective civil contract with the first official of those employed.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 16, 2004. Registration No. 5752.

Ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of April 23, 2004 In the Case On Verification of the Constitutional Validity of the Land Code of the Russian Federation In Connection With the Inquiry of the Murmansk Regional Duma

The matter at issue in the case was the norms of the RF Land Code challenged in the inquiry of the Murmansk regional Duma under which foreign nationals, stateless persons and foreign legal entities are invested with the specific powers to acquire as ownership land plots in the territory of the Russian Federation and also the RF Land Code as a whole as concerns the procedure of adoption of same.
The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation ruled that the provisions being challenged do not run counter to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, inasmuch as they are aimed at elaborating the provisions of the Constitution regarding the purpose and constitutional legal status of land. Moreover, it was emphasized that the federal law-maker is obligated to ensure that the constitutionally important values, including land and other natural resources are duly protected. In so doing, it must proceed from the priority of the right of Russian citizens to hold land as their ownership, providing for the rational and effective use of land and its protection and also for the protection of the economic sovereignty of the Russian Federation,. integrity and inviolability of its territory.
As to the procedure for adoption of the Land Code, the Constitutional Court decided that it had no grounds that would lead it to believe that the procedures for adoption of the RF Land Code implemented by the Federal Assembly had resulted into distortion of the genuine declaration of intention of that representative body and, consequently, there were no grounds to declare it to be inconsistent with the Constitution of the Russian Federation .
The Ruling took effect immediately after it was announced.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 81 of April 9, 2004 On Approval of Instructions On the Procedure For Burial of Persons Who Died While Serving a Criminal Sentence and Held In Custody At Institutions of the Criminal Penalty Execution System of the Ministry of Justice of Russia

In determines a procedure for burial of persons sentenced to imprisonment who died while serving a criminal sentence at penal colonies, medical-penal and medical-prevention reformatories, prisons, educational colonies and also of persons suspected of and charged with the commission of crimes who died while at pretrial detention facilities of the criminal penalty execution system of the Ministry of Justice of Russia.
The Administration of the institution is obligated to advise of the death of prisoner, suspect or of the person accused either to his or her close relative indicated in his or her personal file or to a person indicated in the prisoner's declaration of will. The advice shall be sent within twenty four hours by cable. The burial of persons who died while serving a criminal sentence at facilities of confinement and imprisonment at pretrial detention facilities shall be carried out with due regard for their declaration of will.
It determines the rules of keeping, giving-out and transportation of bodies of the deceased convicted persons who died while serving a criminal sentence and being held in confinement at institutions of criminal penalty execution and also of their burial in case of being unclaimed.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 16, 2004. Registration No. 5755.

Order of the Ministry of Communication of the Russian Federation No. 26 of March 9, 2004 On Approval of the List and Form of Documents Required For Checking and Making Up of Application For the Funds of the Federal Budget To Compensate Operators of Communication For the Expenses Sustained By Them in 2004 In Connection With the Granting of Privileges In Payment of Services of Communication To Veterans and Invalids Whose Pension Maintenance Is Effected By Pension Bodies of the Federal Executive Authorities Which Provide For Military Service and Service Equated Thereto

The said list of documents necessary to carry out the checking and preparation of application for compensation of expenses of operators of communication by using the funds of the federal budget includes as follows: checking report, register, consolidated register, application, consolidated data and consolidated application.
It also gives the forms of the said documents.
Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in April 16, 2004. Registration No. 5750.

Federal law No. 24-FZ of April 22, 2004 On Ratification of the Treaty Between the Russian Federation and the Ukraine On the Russian - Ukrainian State Border

It ratifies the Treaty Between Russia and the Ukraine On the Russian - Ukrainian State Border signed in Kiev in January 28, 2003. The treaty gives a description of the state borderline between the two states.

Federal law No. 23-FZ of April 22, 2004 On Ratification of the Treaty Between the Russian Federation and the Ukraine On the Cooperation In Using the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait

It ratifies the Treaty Between Russia and the Ukraine on the cooperation in using the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait signed in Kerch in December 24, 2003. In accordance with the Treaty the Azov sea shall be delimitated by a state borderline as is envisaged under the agreement between Russia and the Ukraine. The settlement of issues related to the water area of the Kerch Strait shall be made by agreement between the parties.

Federal law No. 22-FZ of April 22, 2004 On Ratification of the Agreement on the Formation of Common Economic Space

It ratifies the Agreement signed in Yalta in September 19, 2003. The agreement provides for the creation of a common economic space (CES) in the territories of Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Russia and the Ukraine. The territories of CES shall be subject to mechanisms of regulation of the economy based on uniform principles providing for the free circulation of goods, services, capital and workforce and also to a single foreign trade, taxation, monetary-credit and currency-financial policy coordinated so far and to the extent as may be necessary to ensure equal competition and maintain macroeconomic stability.

Federal law No. 21-FZ of April 22, 2004 On Amending Articles 37 and 39 of the Federal law On the Status of the Member of the Federation Council and Status of the Deputy of the State Duma of the RF Federal Assembly

It prescribes that the identity card of an assistant involved on a voluntary basis shall bear a note of his doing the job as social service. Earlier it was not allowed to make such a note. It also establishes that assistants of the member of the Federation Council, deputy of the State Duma involved on a voluntary basis shall have no right to make use of rooms assigned for officials and official delegations at airports and air terminals, railway terminals and stations of sea terminals (ports) and of river terminals while going on business trips together with the member of the Federation Council, deputy of the State Duma.
The federal law shall take effect as from its official publication.

Federal law No. 20-FZ of April 22, 2004 On Amending Article 24 of the Federal law On Military Duty and Military Service

It orders that a deferment from the call-up for military service shall be granted to citizens having wives the term of pregnancy of whom is no less than 26 weeks. The citizens enlisted as reserve who have a military rank of an officer conferred on them shall not be liable to a deferment from the call-up for military service for the above-stated grounds.
The Federal law shall take effect as from July 1, 2004.

Federal law No. 19-FZ of April 22, 2004 On the Competent Body of the Russian Federation Under the Convention On the Handing Over of Persons Suffering From Mental Conditions For Compulsory Treatment

The General Prosecution Office of the Russian Federation shall act as a competent body of Russia under the Convention On the Handing Over of Persons Suffering From Mental Conditions For Compulsory Treatment, signed in Moscow in March 28, 1997. The Government of the Russian Federation shall determine a procedure for involving federal executive authorities in the organization of the handing over and taking by Russia in accordance with the Convention of persons suffering from mental conditions in respect of whom a court decision is available on application to them of compulsory measures of medical character.

Federal law No. 18-FZ of April 22, 2004 On Amending the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation

It extends from 10 to 30 days the period of making a charge against a person suspected of having perpetrated one of the offenses envisaged under the following Articles of the RF Criminal Code, viz. 205 Terrorism, 205.1 Involving Into Commission of Crimes of Terrorism or Other Procurement of Such Crimes, 206 Hostage Taking, 208 Organization of the Illegal Armed Formation or Participation Therein, 209 Banditry, 277 Attempt Upon the Life of the State or Public Figure, 278 Violent Seizure of Power or Violent Retention of Power, 279 Armed Rebellion, 281 Subversive Destruction and 360 Assault Upon Persons or Agencies Enjoying International Protection.
The grounds for choosing measures of restraint envisaged under Article 97 of the RF Criminal Procedure Code shall apply not only to the defendant but also to the suspect.
The federal law shall take effect as from its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 219 of April 23, 2004 On Amending the Regulations On the Restructuring of Debts of the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and of Credit Institutions To the Federal Budget Approved by Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 543 of July 19, 2002

In accordance with the amendments the restructuring shall apply to the debts of the budgets of the RF subjects and credit institutions to the federal budget accrued as on January 1, 2004 according to the results of the stock-taking of objects of accounting to be shown in the balance sheet of implementation of the 2003 federal budget.
The executive authorities of the RF subjects and credit institutions shall, by agreement with relevant departments of registers of liquidated organizations, submit prior to August 1, 2004 to the Ministry of Finance of Russia a request to reduce the debts under centralized credits for the amount of debts of liquidated organizations and also registers of the liquidated organizations.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 217 of April 23, 2004 On the Extension of Validity of Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 355 of June 20, 2003

The validity of rate of the import customs duty for rice and products of flour and cereals out of rice (codes of the Commodity Nomenclature of the RF Foreign Economic Activity 1006, 1103 19 500 0, 1103 20 500 0, 1104 19 910 0, 1108 19 100 0) earlier fixed at 10 per cent of the customs value, but not less than 0,03 Euro per kilogram, is extended for another 9 months.
The Decision shall take effect as from April 24, 2004.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 216 of April 23, 2004 On Amending Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 264 of May 7, 2003

It alters the procedure for application of insurance tariffs by insurers when assessing an insurance premium under contracts of obligatory insurance of the civil responsibility of owners of transport vehicles. The amendments fix the coefficients to be used in assessing insurance premiums for obligatory insurance of the civil responsibility of owners of transport vehicles registered in Byelorussia and temporarily used in the territory of Russia.
The Decision shall have effect pending the accession of Russia to the international system of obligatory insurance of the civil responsibility of car owners.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 520-p of April 26, 2004

It approves the structure of the Staff of the Government of the Russian Federation. The ultimate number of employees of the Staff shall total 954 units. The Staff structure is constituted by: deputies of the Head of the Staff, authorized representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation at Chambers of the RF Federal Assembly, at the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation, secretariats, 12 departments.

Federal Law No. 31-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Amendments to Article 5 of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Social Protection of Citizens Having Been Exposed to Radiation because of the Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station and Article 2 of the Federal Law on the Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on the Social Protection of Citizens Having Been Exposed to Radiation because of the Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

Brings in compliance with the Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 11-P of June 19, 2002 individual norms of the mentioned laws fixing the annual indexing of the amounts of compensation for the damage proceeding from the growth of the cost of living, however, the mechanism of indexing providing for its timely and unconditional nature has not been envisaged.

The Law envisages that the payments to citizens, except for the state pensions, allowances and other payments with indexing defined in other federal laws, shall be indexed on the annual basis proceeding form the level of inflation specified in the Federal Law on the federal budget for the subsequent fiscal year according to the procedure defined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Abandons the limit of the maximum amount of payments (Rbl 10,000) and specifies the legal grounds to preserve the amounts of the earlier assigned compensation for the damage for the mentioned citizens, including the persons getting more than Rbl 10,000 a month, proceeding from the norms and within the limits specified in the Federal Law on the budget of the Social Insurance Fund of Russia for the appropriate year.

Refines the procedure of application of the limits of monetary compensations for the damage to participants of the elimination of the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station with reduced ability to work because of the radiation exposure because of the Chernobyl disaster, however, not being invalids.

The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 30-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Lithuanian Republic on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Capital Investments

Ratifies the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Lithuanian Republic on the promotion and mutual protection of capital investments singed in Moscow on June 29, 1999.

According to the Convention, the parties shall guarantee to investors full protection and security of their capital investments under their legislation. The investors shall enjoy the most favoured nation regime.

The mentioned capital investments may not be expropriated or nationalised, except for the cases when such measures are taken in the interests of the public according to the procedure specified in the legislation, are not being discriminatory and are associated with a quick, adequate and efficient compensation.

Federal Law No. 29-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Amendments to Individual Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

The Federal Law creates the basis for the switchover to the manning of divisions and military units of constant combat readiness with contract servicemen. Appropriate amendments pertaining to the military service procedure and the status of servicemen are introduced in the Federal Laws on the military duty and the military service, on the status of servicemen and the Law of the Russian Federation on additional guarantees and compensations to servicemen undergoing military service on the territories of Trans-Caucasian, Baltic states and the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as fulfilling missions in emergency situations and in armed conflicts.

The key provisions of the Law are aimed at the institution of the testing at admission to contract service, as well as improvement of the mechanisms of material support and incentives for the contract serif icemen of formations and military units of constant combat readiness.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 28-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Ratification of the Convention on the Occupational Safety and Health in Dock Work (Convention 152)

Ratifies Convention 152 adopted by the 65th session of ILO General Conference in Geneva on June 25, 1979.

The Convention envisages a number of measures pertaining to dock work: training and control necessary for the protection of employees against accidents or health hazards while fulfilling the work; providing the employees with all necessary personal protection devices, as well as all rescue means, that may be reasonably required; working out and introduction of appropriate procedures for emergency situations that may emerge.

Federal Law No. 27-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Ratification of the Convention Concerning the Social Repercussions of New Methods of Cargo Handling in Docks (Convention 137)

Ratifies Convention 137 adopted by the 58th session of ILO General Conference in Geneva on June 25, 1973.

According to the Convention, dock workers are guaranteed minimum periods of employment or minimum incomes. Registers for all categories of dock workers are being introduced and maintained according to the requirements of the national legislation or practice. Registered dock workers enjoy priority rights in cases of employment in dock works.

Federal Law No. 26-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Ratification of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Its Supplementing Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children

Ratifies The UN Convention against transnational organised crime of November 15, 2000 signed on behalf of Russia in Palermo on December 12, 2000 together with a number of declarations.

Also ratifies the Protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air and the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children supplementing the mentioned Convention.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 25-FZ of April 26, 2004 on the Amendment to Article 15 of the Federal Law on Armaments

The territorial bodies and organisations of the special authorised federal body of executive power in the sphere of hydrometeorology and associated spheres carrying out activities on remote stations may purchase service short-barrel arms for the guards for carrying and storing while executing their service duties.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 221 of April 23, 2004 on the Amendment to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 359 of June 21, 2003

The earlier specified temporary rate of the import customs duty for dry yeasts (code according to the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2102 10 310 0) in the amount of EUR 0.25 per kg is introduced on the permanent basis.

The Decision is entered into force from April 25, 2004.

Decision of the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation No. 46 of April 15, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Registration of the Pension and Insurance Rules of Non-State Pension Funds

Defines the rules and procedures of registration of the pension and insurance rules of non-state pension funds, as well as amendments to them.

Decision on the registration of the pension rules or refusal to register them is taken by the Ministry of Labour of Russia no later than within 60 days from the day of receiving of all necessary documents, insurance rules - no later than within 30 days.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 23, 2004. Reg. No. 5772.

Regulation of the Central Bank of Russia No. 253-P of March 16, 2004 on the Procedure of Depositary Registration of the Federal State Securities

Defines the procedure of storage of the certificates of the federal state securities and/or registration of the rights for the state bonds. The storage of the bonds and/or registration of the rights for the bonds is arranged by storing global, single (summary) certificates and/or entering records on the custody accounts according to the requirements specified for the form of issue of the bonds. The grounds for operations carried out on the custody accounts pertaining to the transfer of the rights for the bonds is the custody account order containing the list of obligatory requisites (provided in the Regulation). The depositaries must effect transfers on the appropriate custody accounts as of the date indicated in the custody account order. Not accepted for execution are the custody account orders with an earlier date of execution as compared to the date of receiving of the custody account order by the depositaries. The depositaries must report to the depositor or his authorised representative committed operat ions by handing out custody account excerpts within time limits specified in the rules of circulation of the bonds and the custody account contracts.

The Regulation is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 23, 2004. Reg. No. 5768.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 395 of March 30, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Customs Operations Carried out When Declaring the Commodities in the Electronic Form

Defines the procedure and terms of declaring of commodities and transport vehicles when declaring to the customs bodies authorised to accept customs declarations information on commodities, their customs regime and other information necessary for the customs purposes in electronic form only, as well as the particulars of the customs operations carried out when declaring the commodities in the electronic form.

The party declaring the commodities shall declare in the electronic form information to be indicated in the customs declaration, as well as submit information from the documents necessary for the customs registration of commodities under the chosen customs regime and submit it to the customs body through electronic information exchange. The mentioned information shall be certified with electronic digital signature.

Electronic documents confirming the information declared in the customs declaration may be presented by the party declaring the commodities in the formalised form in the formats specified by the State Customs Committee of Russia or, if the formalised form of the document is not envisaged, in the form of their electronic images obtained by scanning the documents on paper medium.

The electronic form of declaring is not applied for excisable commodities subject to licensing when imported to the Russian Federation and/or labelling with excise-duty and/or special stamps and commodities subject to non-tariff regulation measures in the form of the licensing and/or fixing of quotas.

The Order is entered into force 90 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 22, 2004. Reg. No. 5767.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 211 of April 1, 2004 on the Fixing of the Supplement (Additional Payment) for the Scientific Grade to Individual Categories of Contract Servicemen and Employees of the Bodies of Internal Affairs

Servicemen occupying military positions of the commanding, teaching and scientific staff in the military institutions of higher professional education, institutions of higher professional education of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and scientific organisations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia shall get monthly supplement for the scientific grade in the amount of the monthly supplement for the scientific grade envisaged in the legislation of the Russian Federation for employees occupying staff positions in the budget-supported scientific institutions (organisations) and in the higher educational institutions.

The mentioned payments shall be effected from January 1, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 22, 2004. Reg. No. 5765.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 9-P of April 23, 2004 on the Case of Constitutionality of Individual Provisions of the Federal Laws on the Federal Budget for the Year 2002, on the Federal Budget for the Year 2003, on the Federal Budget for the Year 2004 and Appendices to Them Pursuant to the Request of the Group of Members of the Council of the Federation and the Appeal of Citizen A.V.Zhmakovsky

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised as not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation normative provisions suspending for the years 2003 and 2004 Parts 2, 3 and 4 of Article 14 of the Federal Law on the Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation envisaging the authority of the Audit Chamber to operatively control the execution of the federal budget and the procedure of implementation of this authority. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation emphasised that the federal law on the federal budget may not contain provisions changing the authority and the working procedures of the Audit Chamber specified in other federal laws.

Also unconstitutional appeared to be the provisions suspending for the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 Paragraph 2 of Item 14 of Article 15 of the Federal Law on the status of servicemen inasmuch as it pertains to the paying out to the citizens dismissed from the military service and members of their families of the monthly monetary compensation at the expense of the resources of the federal budget if it is impossible to provide housing space to them within three months according to available norms or impossible to accommodate temporarily these citizens in other housing space.

The Decision is entered into force immediately after annunciation.

Federal Law No. 32-FZ of April 27, 2004 on the Amendment to Article 133 of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation

The amendment is introduced because of the existing conflict between Part 5 of Article 133 of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation and the norm of Article 4 of the Federal Law on the cost of living in the Russian Federation inasmuch as it pertains to the determination of the procedure of fixing the cost of living and to the normative document that must specify the cost of living. The new wording of Article 133 defines that the procedure of determination of the cost of living is fixed in the federal law. Thus, the cost of living in per capita figures is determined on the quarterly basis on the basis of the consumer goods basket and information of the State Statistics Committee on the level of consumer prices for foodstuffs, non-foodstuff commodities and services and expenses in obligatory payments and fees and is fixed by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Order of the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation No. 492 of April 19, 2004 on the Amendments to the Order of the State Customs Committee of Russia No. 949 of September 1, 2003

Amends the rules of keeping of the Register of Banks and Other Credit Organisations with the guarantees accepted by the customs bodies as the backing of the customs payments. Specifies that the maximum amount of a single bank guarantee and the maximum amount of all simultaneously available bank guarantees granted by one bank or one organisation are conveyed to the customs bodies in individual legal acts. In this case, the rules do not contain the norms defining the procedure of fixing of the mentioned maximum amounts.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2004. Reg. No. 5775.

Regulation of the Central Bank of Russia No. 254-P of March 26, 2004 on the Procedure of Building by Credit Organisations of Reserves for Possible Losses under Loans, Debts in Loans and Other Similar Debts

Specifies the procedure of building by credit organisations of reserves for possible losses under loans, debts in loans and similar other debts including the monetary claims and the claims under the deals with financial instruments, as well as the particulars of implementation of enforcement by the Bank of Russia of observation by credit organisations of the procedure of building of reserves for possible losses under loans. The requirements of the procedure do not apply to financial assets recorded in accounting work at the market costs subject to reassessment and the financial assets being elements of the estimate base in compliance with the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 232-P of July 9, 2003 on the procedure of building of reserves for possible losses by credit organisations.

As compared to the procedure specified in the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 62a of June 30, 1997, the Regulation changes and expands the classification of the categories of quality of the loans. Introduces Quality Category IV (problem loans) implying a high credit risk (opportunities of financial losses because of the failure to execute or improper execution by the borrower of obligations under the loan providing for its devaluation in the amount of 51% to 100%).

The Regulation introduces restrictive requirements to the classification of a number of loans in the absence of information on the financial standing of the borrowers. For example, absence of information for more than two quarters on the financial standing of the borrower does no permit to classify the given loan higher than Quality Category III while building the reserve in the amount of 50%.

Refines the list of the sources of information to analyse the activities of the borrower, including the legal entity (not a credit organisation), credit organisation and a natural person. Additional information includes reports drawn up to the international standards of accounting reports, managerial reports etc.

Introduces the requirement to the assessment of the credit risk, loan quality and determination of the amount of the estimate reserve while drawing up the documents of the results of the given assessment at least once a quarter as of the reporting date for the loans provided to natural persons and legal entities not being credit organisations, and for credit organisations - at least once a month as of the reporting date.

Defines approaches to the building of the reserves for possible losses for syndicated loans.

The Regulation is entered into force from August 1, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2004. Reg. No. 5774.

Decision of the Management Board of the Pension Fund of Russia No. 25p of March 9, 2004 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Pension Fund of Russia No. 85n of June 16, 2003

The amendments are introduced pursuant to the adoption of the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 807 of December 31, 2003 specifying the procedure of financing in 2004 of additional payments for obligatory medical insurance of non-working pensioners getting old-age labour pension. Changes the form of the agreement on the procedure of financing in 2004 of the mentioned payments between the higher body of executive power of the subject of the Russian Federation and the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5780.

Instruction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 111-I of March 30, 2004 on the Obligatory Sale of the Part of the Currency Receipts at the Internal Currency Market of the Russian Federation

The new Instruction preserves the amount of the part of the currency receipts of the residents due for obligatory sale (25% of the amount of the currency receipts).

Defines the procedure of opening and keeping of the transit currency account to effect the obligatory sale of the part of the currency receipts of the residents. The transit currency account is intended to identify the receipts in foreign currencies in favour of the residents in the types of operations, including the export currency receipts, and directly effect the obligatory sale.

The transit currency account is used by the authorised bank to enter all foreign currency receipts in favour of the resident, except for the following receipts entered on the current currency account:

- resources received from one current currency account of the resident opened in the authorised bank on another current currency account of this resident opened in the same or another authorised bank;

- resources received from the authorised bank where the current currency account of this resident is opened under the contracts concluded by them;

- resources received from the current currency account of one resident on the current currency account of another resident opened in the same authorised bank.

The authorised bank shall notify the resident of the receiving (entering) on his transit currency account of the resources in foreign currency.

The resident having received the notification shall submit to the authorised bank the certificate identifying the amount of received foreign currency by the types of currency operations including the identification of the currency receipts being the object of obligatory sale. The authorised bank must sale the foreign currency within two working days following the day of the entry of the foreign currency on the mentioned in the present item separate personal account.

The Instruction is entered into force from June 18, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on June 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5779.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1408-U of March 29, 2004 on the Procedure of Recording in the Accounting Work of Credit Organisations of Operations of Depositing of Obligatory Reserves in the Bank of Russia

Specifies the rules of recording in the accounting work of credit organisations of operations of depositing of obligatory reserves in the Bank of Russia.

The recording of the mentioned operations is arranged on the basis of the received from the authorised institution of the Bank of Russia excerpts from the personal accounts of the balance accounts used to register obligatory reserves and off-balance accounts used to register obligatory reserve payments. The mentioned accounts are opened only on the balance of the head office of the credit organisation.

The Direction is entered into force from July 1, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 29, 2004. Reg. No. 5778.

Regulation of the Central Bank of Russia No. 255-P of March 29, 2004 on the Obligatory Reserves of Credit Organisations

Specifies a new procedure of depositing of obligatory reserves in the Bank of Russia by credit organisations.

The new Regulation changes the procedure of estimation of the obligatory reserves. Credit organisations are also provided with opportunity to use the mechanism of equalization of obligatory reserves. Interest is not accrued for the obligatory reserves deposited by credit organisations in the Bank of Russia.

The new Regulation does not specify the particular values of the normatives of obligatory reserves for obligations of credit organisations to non-resident banks in the currency of the Russian Federation and foreign currency, for obligations of credit organisations to natural persons in the currency of the Russian Federation, for other obligations of credit organisations.

The depositing of obligatory reserves in the Bank of Russia by credit organisations is arranged according to the new Regulation beginning with the estimate for July 2004.

The Regulation is entered into force from July 1, 2004.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 23, 2004. Reg. No. 5769.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1424-U of April 27, 2004 on the Adjustment of the Normative and Other Acts of the Bank of Russia

Pursuant to the adoption of the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 255-P of March 29, 2004 on the obligatory reserves of credit organisations, invalidates the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 37 of March 30, 1996 on the obligatory reserves of credit organisations deposited in the Central Bank of the Russian Federation with amendments.

The Direction is entered into force from July 1, 2004.