The Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia left key rate at 4.25% per annum. This value was set in July 2020. This is the second meeting in a year at which a decision is made to maintain the previous level of the key rate, all other meetings of directors led to a decrease in the rate.

Amendments to the Law on Consumer Loans came into force, providing for the borrower's right to a refund of amounts paid when concluding an insurance contract or joining an insurance program in connection with a loan. The basis for the refund of the corresponding amount is the refusal of the borrower from the insurance contract (participation in the insurance program) and early repayment of the loan.

The RF Ministry of Education and Science has approved the new rules for admission to universities, which will enter into force in 2021-2022 (academic year). Universities will be able to customise their own admission rules. However, the main innovation is that admission to universities will take place as "one wave", while the priority enrollment stage for applicants without entrance exams will remain, as well as according to the targeted or other special quotas.
 

The Ministry of Labour has prepared a draft decision of the Government of the Russian Federation on the transfer of days off in 2021. The department proposes the weekend of January 2 and 3 (Saturday and Sunday), coinciding with non-working holidays, to be postponed to November 5 and December 31, respectively. It is also proposed to transfer the rest day from Saturday February 20 to Monday February 22.

Amendments to the Law on Bankruptcy entered into force on September 1, 2020. The Law now contains provisions that allow individuals to initiate their bankruptcy without resort to courts.
 

User options provided via the Internet service "Taxpayer's Personal Account for Individuals" have been expanded. Now users of the service may download an electronic certificate of registration of an individual, signed with an enhanced certified electronic signature, free of charge and at any convenient time. The document has the same legal force as a paper copy signed by a tax official and certified by a seal.
 

From November 1, 2020, drivers will be able to draw up electronic notifications of accidents and if they have disagreements, as well as in relation to the vehicles owned by organisations. For this purpose, as currently, at least one of the drivers must possess a special mobile application integrated with the webportal of public services.

The Ministry of Culture has adjusted the requirements for the operation of theatres, circuses, philharmonic societies, concert halls, etc., during a pandemic.
If the regional authorities remove the restrictions, events for visitors are held subject to the occupancy rate of no more than 70%, unless the regional authorities have established a lower occupancy rate.
 

The RF Ministry of Justice registered Instructions of the Bank of Russia determining the new tariffs for compulsory motor vehicle third party liability insurance and the procedure for application thereof. Insurers will be able to charge a lower rate for accurate drivers and a higher rate for those who drive at risk and violate traffic rules. For passenger cars owned by citizens, the range of base rates will expand by 10% up and down.
From August 24, 2020, amendments enter into force to be made into the Law on OSAGO concerning customisation of tariffs. Tariffs will be determined depending on the factors characterising a particular driver. This can be, among other things, violation of traffic rules, the age of the vehicle, its mileage, the driver's marital status and the presence of children, telematics devices installed, etc.
 

The Civil Code of the Russian Federation fixes the rules on geographical indication. This is a new item of intellectual rights, which is introduced as a means of individualising a product. It acts on a par with an appellation of origin. The RF Ministry of Economic Development and Trade approved the procedure for its registration.
 

Starting from 2021, declarations for transport and land taxes shall be cancelled for organisations. This means that for 2020 tax agencies will calculate these taxes and notify taxpayers of it via messages as per the approved forms, on the basis of the data about vehicles and land plots owned by an organisation.

The Government of the Russian Federation approved an Action Plan aimed at improving the quality and availability of palliative care for the next four years.
 

The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being (Rospotrebnadzor) informs of beginning of the vaccination campaign against influenza. Specifics of the current epidemic season will be the simultaneous circulation of influenza and coronavirus. It is planned to cover at least 60% of the population with preventive vaccinations, and 75% in risk groups. The agency reminds that self-medication for flu is not recommended, since it may extremely dangerous.
 

In the personal account of the taxpayer on the website of the Federal Tax Service, there are several scripts for filling in declarations in accordance with the form 3-NDFL, depending on situation. Such scripts include buying and selling real estate; renting out dwelling apartments; contributions for investment or charity; payment for treatment or education

The rate for educational loans has been reduced and fixed per 3% per annum. The grace period has been increased from three to nine months when the principal does not need to be paid. It is calculated from the moment of graduation. The loan repayment period has been increased from 10 to 15 years (after the end of the grace period).

Starting from August 29, 2020, it will be possible to register vehicles at multifunctional centres. Employees will accept and issue documents, as well as state registration plates. Actions related to inspection of vehicles, registration of registration documents and assignment of registration plates will be performed, as usual, by the traffic police officers.

Borrowers may prohibit creditors from transferring their debts to third parties. This possibility must be included into the individual terms and conditions of the consumer credit or loan agreement. Prohibition by the borrower on transfer of debt should not affect the possibility of concluding a contract.

The Federal State Statistic Service approved two lump forms for filing statistical data on activities of small and medium-sized businesses for 2020.
Such data in compliance with the cited forms shall be submitted to territorial offices of the Federal State Statistic Service before April 1, 2021

A number of media outlets reported that in accordance with the amendments to the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union on the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles, allegedly adopted in 2020, any changes in the design of the vehicle must be approved by the State Traffic Inspectorate with mandatory certification in specialised laboratories. And for the installation of non-standard towbars, roof racks, car owners will be held administratively liable.
The traffic police denied this information.

On August 24, 2020, amendments to the Law on Third-Party Only Vehicle Insurance came into force, aimed, among other things, at personalizing the insurance rate in relation to each insured and recording the driving history of each driver.
The main novelty is that insurers are given the right to differentiate insurance rates depending on certain factors.
These include, for example, the repeated (during the year) bringing of the policyholder to administrative responsibility for driving at a red light, exceeding the permissible speed by more than 60 km/h or entering the oncoming lane.
In addition, it is possible to take into account other factors, such as the age and mileage of the vehicle, equipping the car with a telematics device, and marital status and the presence of children by the driver.
These factors must be indicated by the insurer in the methodology for calculating insurance rates and posted on its website.
The Central Bank will establish a list of factors, the use of which is not allowed.

Federal Law No. 166-FZ supplemented the Law on affixing an apostille on Russian official documents subject to export outside the territory of the Russian Federation. The amendments secured the right of the Government of the Russian Federation to establish the specifics of applying for an apostille, affixing an apostille using information and telecommunication networks, maintaining a register of apostilles in electronic form, and providing remote access to information on affixed apostilles.

From March 1, 2021, the EAEU Pharmacopoeia will begin to operate, which will become the basis for a unified approach to assessing the quality of medicines for five allied countries.
Producers of drugs previously registered in the common EAEU market must, by January 1, 2026, bring their regulatory documents on the quality of drugs in line with the Pharmacopoeia of the Union.