The suspension of flights with the UK extended until February 1, 2021 inclusive. 

It was decided to restore the sobering-up system in Russia. This refers to specialized medical facilities to provide assistance to persons in a state of alcoholic, narcotic or other intoxication. The rules for the operation of sobering-up stations, including the types of assistance provided in them, will be approved by a joint act of the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The RF Ministry of Internal Affairs has updated the regulations on issuance and replacement of citizens’ passports. A novelty is a prescribed ban on submitting photos with eye-glasses that change the natural colour of the eyes.

 The Ministry of Public Health again postponed the entry into force of the rules on mandatory testing for drug addiction and alcoholism when obtaining a driver's licence or replacement thereof until January 1, 2022 (but not from January 1, 2021, as previously planned).

 Starting from that date, credit institutions, credit consumer cooperatives, pawnshops and non-governmental pension funds shall arrange interaction with the Financial Ombudsman. As a general rule, consumers, prior to filing a claim against such financial institutions for an amount not exceeding 500,000 roubles, shall now first apply to the Financial Ombudsman for a dispute resolution.

 Basically, the amendments relate to the legal regime of the results of intellectual activity created during the performance of a state or municipal contract.

 In accordance with a new part 9 of Article 7.32.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation, fines shall be introduced for violation by the customer of the established deadline for payment for goods, works or services under an agreement concluded following purchases with small and medium enterprises. Officials of customers or legal entities will be punished with a fine.

 The programme applies to the purchase of cars made in Russia.

 On December 29, 2020, amendments to the Fundamentals of the Legislation of the Russian Federation on Notaries came into force concerning the procedure for performing notarial acts in electronic. One of the main innovations: the Fundamentals of the Legislation of the Russian Federation on Notaries now provide for possibility of certifying a transaction with the involvement of two or more notaries for cases when two or more persons are involved in the transaction without their joint visit to a notary.

 The Ministry of Education and the Federal Service for Supervision over Education announced decisions taken due to the complicated epidemiological situation regarding the procedure for holding the Uniform State Examination and the state final certification of graduates of the 9th and 11th grades in 2021.

 Amendments have been made to the Law on the National Payment System, providing that the ban on cash replenishment with anonymous e-wallets shall not cover transport and school cards. This means the possibility of replenishing the mentioned cards with cash.

 On December 18, 2020, the Bank of Russia decided to keep the key rate at 4.25% per annum.

 The federal law has been signed, which provides for the postponement of the entry into force of the requirement to pre-install Russian software for certain types of technically complex goods until April 1, 2021.

 Vaccination against COVID-19 included in the calendar of preventive vaccinations for epidemic indications. The categories of citizens subject to mandatory vaccination against coronavirus and the sequence of the implementation have been established. Priority for doctors, teachers, social workers, employees of multifunctional public services centres, people with chronic diseases, including those suffering from diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular problems.