Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 31.03.2008

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 130 of February 29, 2008 on the Amendments to the Insurance Tariff Rates for Obligatory Insurance of Civil Liabilities of Owners of Transport Vehicles, Their Structure and Procedure of Application by Insurers in the Determination of the Insurance Premium

From March 1, 2008, changes the rules of forming of insurance tariff rates for obligatory insurance of civil liabilities of owners of transport vehicles pertaining to some coefficients of insurance tariff rates.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 129 of February 29, 2008 on the Amendments to the Rules of Obligatory Insurance of Civil Liabilities of Owners of Transport Vehicles

From March 1, 2008, introduces a new form of insurance policy of obligatory insurance of civil liabilities of the owner of transport vehicle.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1978-U of February 5, 2008 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1755-U of December 11, 2006 on the Procedure of Determination of the Rouble Equivalent of the Minimum Amount of the Registered Capital of the Newly Registered Credit Organisation, Minimum Amount of Own Resources (Capital) of the Bank (Including the One Requesting the General License), Minimum Amount of Own Resources (Capital) of a Non-Bank Credit Organisation Requesting the Status of a Bank

Specifies the procedure of determination of the rouble equivalent of the minimum amount of the registered capital of the newly created bank or own resources (capital) of a bank younger than two years requesting the right to attract in deposits monetary resources of natural persons.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1977-U of February 5, 2008 on the Amendments to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 109-I of January 14, 2004 on the Procedure for the Bank of Russia to Take the Decision on the State Registration of Credit Organisations and Issue the Licenses for Bank Operations

The Bank of Russia now issues separate licenses for activities of the newly created banks attracting in deposits monetary resources of natural persons in roubles and foreign currencies.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. MM-3-09/10 of January 17, 2008 on the Amendments to the Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SAE-3-09/861 of December 13, 2006 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Bank Reports of the Opening (Closing) of the Account, Change of Account Details

Enters into force a new procedure for the bank to inform in the electronic form the tax body at the place of location of the opening (closing) of the account, change of details of the account opened on the basis of the bank account contract and used to enter and spend monetary resources of the organisation (independent entrepreneur), private notary, lawyer having founded a lawyer office.

Federal Law No. 20-FZ of March 3, 2008 on the Amendments to Article 22 of the Federal Law on the Banks and Banking Activities

Credit organisations (their branches) are permitted to open internal structural divisions outside the places of location of credit organisations (their branches) in the forms and according to the procedure specified in the normative acts of the Central Bank of Russia.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 118 of February 27, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Technical Regulation on the Requirements to the Automobile and Aircraft Gasoline, Diesel and Ship Fuel, Fuel for Jet Engines and Fuel Oil

Specifies the main requirements to the fuels released for circulation and available in circulation.

Federal Law No. 24-FZ of March 4, 2008 on the Ratification of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United Mexican States on the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Cases

The Treaty specifies the volume of legal aid, grounds to refuse it, content of requests for legal aid.

Federal Law No. 23-FZ of March 4, 2008 on the Ratification of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Angola on the Handing over of Persons Convicted for Imprisonment to Serve the Term

The Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Angola signed in Moscow on October 31, 2006 contributes to protection of rights and legal interest of Russian citizens.

Federal Law No. 22-FZ of March 4, 2008 on the Ratification of the Convention between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Morocco on the Handing over of Persons Convicted for Imprisonment

Envisages the transfer of persons convicted for imprisonment on the territory of one of the sides to the territory of the other side to serve the term.

Federal Law No. 19-FZ of March 3, 2008 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Federal Budget for the Year 2008 and for the Planned Period of 2009 and 2010

The changing of the main figures of the federal budget for the year 2008 and for the planned period of 2009 and 2010 is stipulated by the high rates of economic growth in the Russian Federation in 2007, record prices for oil, growth of prices for foodstuffs, as well as the strengthening of the rouble rate to the US dollar.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 236-r of February 27, 2008

Orders for supplies of commodities (carrying out works, rendering services) for the state or municipal needs that are fulfilled other than to specific requests where there is a functioning market and that can be compared by prices only shall be placed exclusively through auctions.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 08-2/03-n of January 22, 2008 on the Amendments to the Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia No. 07-105/pz-n of October 23, 2007 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Foreign Financial Instruments Qualified As Securities

Adjusts the procedure to carry out operations with foreign financial instruments and qualify them as securities.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 312 of March 4, 2008 "Issues of the Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property"

Endorses a new Regulation on the Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property pursuant to the entry into force from March 1, 2008 of the Federal Law on the state cadastre of immovable property, as well as the handing over of the Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property to the Ministry of Justice of Russia.

Decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation No. 104/777-5 of March 7, 2008 on the Results of Election of the President of the Russian Federation

Reports the results of election of the President of the Russian Federation having taken place on March 2, 2008.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. MM-3-6/45@ of February 5, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Applications for the Registration of Organisations and Independent Entrepreneurs - the Payers of the Uniform Imputed Income Tax in the Tax Body at the Place of Entrepreneurial Activities

The new forms of applications do not require to indicate information of the certificate of registration of the organisation at the place of location on the territory of the Russian Federation. Besides, independent entrepreneur does not need to indicate in the application the date and place of birth, citizenship, passport details, address of the place of residence.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 150 of March 6, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Federal Agency for Supplies of Armaments, Military, Special Equipment and Material Resources

Defines the authority and organisation of activities of the Federal Agency for Supplies of Armaments, Military, Special Equipment and Material Resources.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 22-T of March 11, 2008 on the Rouble Equivalents of the Figures Specified in the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1755-U of December 11, 2006

In the I quarter of 2008, the rouble equivalent of the minimum amount of the registered capital of the newly registered bank, own resources (capital) of the operating bank, as well as a non-bank credit organisation requesting the status of a bank, makes Rbl 179,705,000. The rouble equivalent of the minimum amount of the registered capital of the newly registered non-bank credit organisation is fixed in the amount of Rbl 17,970,500, registered capital (own resources) of the newly registered bank or bank younger than two years requesting the right to attract in deposits monetary resources of natural persons - Rbl 3,594,100,000.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 288-r of March 7, 2008

A system of monitoring of export of commodities from the territory of the Russian Federation and control of legality of application of the 0% VAT rate for the export of commodities will be created in Russia.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 23n of February 11, 2008 on the Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 114n of November 19, 2002

Accounting Regulation PBU 18/02 Registration of Profit Tax Estimates is being brought in compliance with the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 23 of February 11, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Drawing up and the Forms of Forwarding Documents

Specifies the forms of the forwarding documents, as well as their filling procedure.

Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation No. 21 of February 27, 2008 on the Average Market Cost of 1 Square Meter of the Total Dwelling Space in the Subjects of the Russian Federation for the II quarter of 2008

To fulfil the state obligations to provide dwelling space to individual categories of citizens in the frame of the federal program Housing for the years 2002-2010, endorses the average market cost of 1 square meter of the total dwelling space for the subjects of the Russian Federation.

Information Letter of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 124 of February 5, 2008 on Some Issues of the Practice of Application by Arbitration Courts of Individual Provisions of Articles 40 and 40.1 of the Federal Law on the Privatisation of the State and Municipal Property

Explains individual issues of application in practice of legislative provisions on the share of the state or municipal formation in the registered capital of open-type joint-stock companies created in the course of privatisation, as well as the open-type joint-stock companies included in strategic ones, in the cases of augmentation of the registered capital of these companies through additional issue of stocks.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 166 of March 12, 2008 on the Currency Operation Carried out by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation

The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is entitled to carry out all kinds of currency operations without restrictions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 179 of March 17, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Use of Internet Sites Carrying out Open Auctions in the Electronic Form and on the Requirements to the Technological, Software, Linguistic, Legal and Organisational Means of Support of the Use of the Mentioned Sites, As Well As to the Systems Providing Open Auctions in the Electronic Form

To carry out an open auction in the electronic form, the ordering party may attract on the basis of the contract concluded in compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation on the placing of orders an operator possessing the means of software and technological support and the site.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 173 of March 17, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Rates of Export Customs Duties for Raw Oil and Individual Categories of Commodities of Oil Exported from the Territory of the Russian Federation outside the Member-States of the Customs Union Agreements

The rate of the export customs duty for raw oil is fixed in the amount of USD 340.1 per ton (at present USD 333.8 per ton).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 159 of March 11, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Rates of Export Customs Duties for Individual Types of Fertilisers Exported outside the Member-States of the Customs Union Agreements

Reduces the rates of export customs duties for individual types of fertilisers exported outside the member-states of the Customs Union agreements.

Order of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Mass Communication and Protection of Cultural Heritage No. 315 of October 22, 2007 on the Endorsement of the Administrative Regulation on the Execution of the State Function of Registration of Mass Media

Regulates execution by the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Mass Communication and Protection of Cultural Heritage and its territorial bodies of the state function of registration of mass media.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 351 of March 17, 2008 on the Measures to Ensure Information Security of the Russian Federation in the Cases of Use of Information Telecommunication Networks of International Information Exchange

It is not permitted to connect information systems, information telecommunication networks and computers used for storage, processing or transfer of information comprising the state secret or information belonging to the state bodies and comprising the service secret to information telecommunication networks permitting to transfer information abroad, including the international computer network Internet.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 175 of March 17, 2008 on the Benefits Granted to Institutions and Enterprises of the Criminal Execution System and Organisations of Invalids Involved in the Placing of Orders for Supplies of Commodities, Carrying out Works, Rendering Services for the State and Municipal Needs

Endorses the lists of commodities (works, services) permitting to grant benefits to institutions and enterprises of the criminal execution system or organisations of invalids for the placed orders.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 24-T of March 13, 2008 on the Improvement of the Efficiency of Work to Prevent Doubtful Operations

In the recent time, there is a significant growth of volumes of monetary resources in foreign currencies and roubles transferred by residents to non-residents in the form of advance payments under contracts of import of commodities on the terms of commercial crediting. There are numerous cases of violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the course of such operations.

Information Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 13 of February 29, 2008 "Summary of the Practice of Application of the Federal Law on the Combating of Legalisation (Laundering) of Incomes Obtained in a Criminal Way and Financing of Terrorism and the Normative Acts of the Bank of Russia Adopted in Pursuance of It"

Obligatory control applies to: payments in the framework of the contact of financial leasing; operations of entry of monetary resources on the account (deposit) or writing off from the account (deposit) of the legal entity; transactions of purchase and sale of precious metals and stones; operations of interest-free loans granted by a legal entity not being a credit organisation to a natural person and/or another legal entity, as well as the getting of such loan, if the lender and borrower are the clients of the same credit organisation.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 5-P of March 13, 2008 on the Case of Constitutionality of Individual Provisions of Subitems 1 and 2 of Item 1 of Article 220 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation Pursuant to Appeals of Citizens S.I.Anikin, N.V.Ivanova, A.V.Kozlov, V.P.Kozlov and T.N.Kozlova

Recognises as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation provisions of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation on the procedure of distribution of the property tax exemption for the incomes tax from natural persons for the cases of purchase of property (flat) in common shared possession.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 183 of March 18, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Submission by the Employer or the Ordering Party of Works (Services) of the Notification of Attraction and Use for the Purposes of Employment of Foreign Citizens and /or Stateless Persons Having Arrived to the Russian Federation According to the Visa-Free Procedure with Employment Permission

From January 15, 2007, employers or the parties ordering works (services) may attract and use for the purposes of employment foreign citizens and/or stateless persons having arrived to the Russian Federation according to the procedure that does not require the getting of the visa who have employment permission without the need to obtain the permission to attract and use foreign work force, however, with obligatory notification of such attraction and use of the territorial body of the Federal Migration Service of Russia and the body of executive power in charge of the population employment in the appropriate subject of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 182 of March 18, 2008 on the Terms and Procedure of Drawing up of the Founder Order for the Autonomous Institutions Created on the Basis of the Federally Owned Property and on the Procedure of Financial Support of the Execution of the Order

Defines the procedure and terms for the federal body of executive power executing the functions and authority of the founder of drawing up of the order for the autonomous institutions created on the basis of the federally owned property and the procedure of financial support of the execution of the order.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 27n of February 20, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Forms of the Tax Declaration and the Tax Estimate for the Advance Payment for the Property Tax from Organisations and Their Filling Procedures

Endorses new forms of the tax declaration for the property tax from organisations and the tax estimate for the advance payment for the property tax from organisations, as well as their filling procedures.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. AM-23-r of March 14, 2008 on the Entry into Force of the Methodology Recommendations "Norms of Consumption of Fuels and Lubricants on the Highway Transport"

The methodology recommendations "Norms of Consumption of Fuels and Lubricants on the Highway Transport" are intended for the motor carrier enterprises, organisations engaged in management and control, entrepreneurs operating vehicles and special motor driven equipment on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 369 of March 20, 2008 on the Measures to Create the State Corporation for Nuclear Power Rosatom

Pursuant to the creation of the State Corporation for Nuclear Power Rosatom, discontinues the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power (Rosatom).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 191 of March 20, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Rates of Export Customs Duties for Sulphur of All Types, Other Than Sublimed, Precipitated or Colloidal, As Well As for Natural Calcium Phosphates, Natural Aluminium and Calcium Phosphates and Phosphate Chalk

The rates of export customs duties for sulphur of all types, other than sublimed, precipitated or colloidal (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia 2503 00), as well as for natural calcium phosphates, natural aluminium and calcium phosphates and phosphate chalk (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia 2510) are temporarily increased from 5% to 6.5% of the customs cost.

Order of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Public Health and Social Development No. 290-Pr/08 of February 4, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Certificate for the Right of Import (Export) of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors

The Government of the Russian Federation introduces a special procedure of import to the Russian Federation and export for the Russian Federation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, including consolidated cargo, diagnostics, laboratory and other sets including separately packed narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors.

Federal Law No. 27-FZ of March 4, 2008 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United Mexican States on Avoidance of Double Taxation for the Incomes Tax

Ratifies the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United Mexican States on avoidance of double taxation for the incomes tax signed in the city of Mexico on June 7, 2004.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 188 of March 20, 2008 on the Amendments to the Rules of Granting of Resources of the Federal Budget Earmarked for the State Support of Small Businesses Including the Peasant (Farmers') Enterprises

Adjusts the rules of granting of resources of the federal budget for the state support of small businesses, including the peasant (farmers') enterprises.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 73n of February 18, 2008 on the Distribution of the Quota for Employment Permissions to Foreign Citizens Endorsed by the Government of the Russian Federation for the Year 2008

The quotas do not include foreign citizens being skilled specialists and getting their jobs in their professions in accordance with the endorsed list of professions (occupations, positions).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 195 of March 23, 2008 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 604 of October 12, 2005

Introduces a special customs duty for the import from the Ukraine to the Russian Federation of chewing gum containing 60% or more of saccharose by weight, except for the one in stripes (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia 1702 90 990 0).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 184 of March 19, 2008 on the Procedure of Registration of Vessels of the Fishing Fleet, the Catches of Aquatic Biological Resources and Products of Their Processing and the State Control in the Sea Ports of the Russian Federation

A notification procedure and selective state control shall be applied to the vessels and products in the sea ports of the Russian Federation.

Order of the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation No. 68 of February 22, 2008 on the Amendments to the Rules of Testing of Gambling Machines with a Monetary Reward to Endorse the Type and Control Their Compliance with the Endorsed Type Endorsed by the Order of the State Standards Committee of Russia No. 22 of January 24, 2000

The amendments are stipulated by the adoption of the Federal Law No. 244-FZ of December 29, 2006 having introduced a new regime of state regulation of activities of organisation of games of chance.

Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation No. 677 of December 29, 2007 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Organisation of the Veterinary Enforcement of the Import, Processing, Storage, Transportation and Sale of Imported Meat and Raw Materials

Endorses the rules specifying the procedure of enforcement of the import, processing, storage, transportation and sale of imported meat and raw materials.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 206 of March 25, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Index of Growth of the Average Monthly Earnings in the Russian Federation for the Year 2007 and the Index of Growth of Incomes of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation Per Pensioner Allocated to Pay out the Insured Part of Labour Pensions for the Year 2007

According to the Federal Law on labour pensions in the Russian Federation, an additional reason for the indexing of the insured part of the labour pension is the surplus of the annual index of growth of the average monthly earnings in the country over the aggregate coefficient of indexing of the insured part of the pension in the same year (the indexing applies from April 1 next year).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 205 of March 25, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Coefficient of Indexing of the Estimated Pension Capital of the Insured

The coefficient of indexing of the estimated pension capital of the insured as of January 1, 2007 is fixed in the amount of 1,204.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 204 of March 25, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Coefficient of Additional Increase from April 1, 2008 of the Amount of the Insured Part of the Labour Pension

According to the Federal Law on labour pensions in the Russian Federation, the coefficient of indexing of the amount of the insured part of the labour pension is determined proceeding from the level of inflation in the previous period of indexing.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 207 of March 25, 2008 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Import Customs Duty for Unprocessed Industrial Diamonds

To support the domestic diamond cutting industry, the rate of the import customs duty for unworked industrial diamonds or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia 7102 21 000 0) in the amount of 10% of the customs cost is fixed on the permanent basis.

Federal Law No. 33-FZ of March 29, 2008 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Norway on the Delineation of the Water Area Near the Varanger Fjord

The Agreement is being brought in compliance with the World Geodetic System of 1984.

Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 29, 2008 on the Ratification of the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Establishing a Partnership between the Russian Federation on the One Hand and the European Communities and Their Member-States on the Other Hand to Take Account of the Accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union

Bulgaria and Rumania joined the European Union on January 1, 2007.

Federal Law No. 31-FZ of March 29, 2008 on the Accession of the Russian Federation to the Agreement between the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Poland, Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Sweden on the Privileges and Immunities of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission

The Agreement defines the volume of privileges and immunities granted to the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 217 of March 28, 2008 on the Amendments to the Regulation on the Federal Antimonopoly Service

The Regulation on the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia is being brought in compliance with the Federal Law on the protection of competition.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 08-4/pz-n of February 7, 2008 on the Licensing of Activities of Investment Funds, Activities of Management of Investment Funds, Shared Investment Funds and Non-State Pension Funds, Activities of Specialised Depositaries of Investment Funds, Shared Investment Funds and Non-State Pension Funds, As Well As Activities of Non-State Pension Funds in Pension Support and Pension Insurance

Endorses the Regulation defining the procedure of granting and redrawing of licenses for the mentioned types of activities, as well as the rules of keeping of registers of licenses.

Letter of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 08-VM-03/4874 of March 18, 2008 on the Holder Notification of the Purchase or Change of the Share of Ordinary Stocks

Provides a sample form of the notification of the purchase or change of the share of ordinary stocks.