Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 8.07.2003

Federal Constitutional Law No. 4-FKZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Constitutional Law on the Courts of Arbitration in the Russian Federation

Envisages creation of 20 appellate arbitration courts before January 1, 2006. The appellate arbitration courts shall be the courts in charge of the checking in the appellate instance of the legality and substantiation of the rulings of arbitration courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation in the first instance. Defines their authority, procedure of forming and activities.
The Federal Constitutional Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Constitutional Law No. 3-FKZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Constitutional Law on the Judicial System in the Russian Federation

Forms appellate arbitration courts in the framework of the judicial system of the Russian Federation. The mentioned courts shall examine the cases as appellate instance courts within their sphere of reference, as well as the newly opened circumstances.
The appellate instance is separated from the first instance thus excluding the situation when an arbitration court of the subject of the Russian Federation takes the decision and checks it.
The Federal Constitutional Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Constitutional Law No. 2-FKZ of June 30, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Constitutional Laws on the State Flag of the Russian Federation and on the State of Emergency

Refines the names of the bodies in charge of the protection and guarding of the state border of the Russian Federation in the Federal Constitutional Laws on the state flag of the Russian Federation and on the state of emergency.
The Federal Constitutional Law is entered into force from July 1, 2003.

Federal Law No. 122-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Law "The Charter of the Railway Transport of the Russian Federation"

Excludes provisions permitting to provide special cars for the convicts and detainees on lease terms, as well as the fixing of the payment for the military transportation and for the use of the infrastructure by the bodies in charge of the military transportation and for the services rendered by it according to the procedure defined by the Government of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 119-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on the Minimum Amount of Labour Remuneration and the Federal Law on the Higher and Post-Graduate Professional Education

The stipends to intramural students of the state and municipal higher educational institutions getting education at the expense of the resources of the appropriate budget are increased to Rbl 400. The stipends to intramural students of the state and municipal institutions of the secondary and initial professional education and getting education at the expenses of the appropriate budget is fixed to amount to Rbl 140.
The Federal Law is entered into force from September 1, 2003.

Federal Law No. 116-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendment to Article 6 of the Law of the Russian Federation on Currency Regulation and Currency Control

Obligatory sale of the currency receipts of the residents from the export of commodities (works, services, results of intellectual activities) is fixed in the amount specified by the Central Bank, however, not greater than 30%. Earlier, the amount was fixed at 50%.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 115-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Railway Transport in the Russian Federation and the Amendment to the Federal Law on the Entering into Force of Part 1 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

The amendments envisage the right of the proprietor to demand in court reimbursement of his expenses for the maintenance of the railway tracks and stations if they are closed at the decision of the federal body of executive power.
The Law specifies that the procedure of reimbursement of the lost incomes of the owner of the infrastructure, carrier as a result of introduction of exemptions and benefits in tariff rates, fees and payments on the public-use railway transport is defined by the Government of the Russian Federation and appropriate bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation if this occurs at the expense of the budges of the subjects of the Russian Federation.
The rules of execution of the duty to pay taxes and fees of the reorganised legal entity by his successor(s) envisaged in the Tax Code of the Russian Federation shall apply also to the organisations of the federal highway transport whose property is transferred as a privatisation procedure in the registered capital of the joint economic subject on the railway transport. The given norm is entered into force one month after the day of the official publication of the Law.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 114-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendment to Article 10 of the Federal Law on the Obligatory State Insurance of the Life and Health of Servicemen, Citizens on the Muster, Soldiers and Officers of the Bodies of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, State Fire Service, Employees of Institutions and Bodies of the Criminal Execution System and Employees of the Federal Bodies of the Tax Police

Specifies that the insurer must pay out the insured amount in case of death of the insured if the death of the latter occurred as a result of the suicide with the insured being in the military service, service by this time for at least six months (earlier, at least 2 years). The insured amount must be paid out also if the death of the insured is the result of the proved in the court suicide incitement regardless of the time of being in the military service, service of the insured.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 110-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendments to Articles 219 and 220 of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

Increases the amount of the social tax exemptions for studies and medical treatment from Rbl 25,000 to Rbl 38,000. Also increases from Rbl 600,000 to Rbl 1 million the maximum amount of the property tax exemption for new construction and purchase of housing.
The Federal Law applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2003.
The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 108-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Additional Monthly Material Support of the Citizens of the Russian Federation for the Outstanding Achievements and Special Services to the Russian Federation

The citizens of the Russian Federation entitled for the additional monthly material support for the outstanding achievements and special services to the Russian Federation include champions of Paralympic and Special Olympic Games. Additional material support shall be provided in the same amount as to the champions of Olympic Games, in particular, in the amount of 250% of the amount of the basic part of the labour old-age pension.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 107-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendment to the Federal Law on the Federal Budget for the Year 2003

Amends Article 124 regulating the procedure of paying out compensations for the ritual services. The changes permit to get the payments envisaged in this Article to any persons (other than the heirs) having undertaken to pay for the funeral.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 106-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendment to Article 3 of the Federal Law on the Entering into Force of the Land Code of the Russian Federation

According to the introduced amendments, the amount of the rent for the use of land plots available in the state or municipal property and located in the regions of the Far North may not be greater than the amounts of the land tax rates specified for the lands of industrial, power supply, transportation, communication, radio broadcasting, TV broadcasting, information purposes, lands for outer space activities, defence, security and other special purposes.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 105-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Amendments to Article 218 of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

According to introduced amendments, the taxpayers may enjoy standard tax exemptions for the income tax from natural persons with any tax agent. Earlier such exemptions were available only with the employer.
The Federal Law applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2003.
The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 104-FZ of July 7, 2003 on the Invalidation of the Provisions of Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pertaining to Tax Control over the Expenses of Natural Persons

Invalidates Articles 86.1, 86.2 and 86.3 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation specifying the procedure of tax control over large expenses of natural persons.
The Federal Law is entered into force one month from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 103-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation

Introduces responsibility for the violation of the rules of handling of waste and scrap of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and their alienation: from 20 to 25 minimum amounts of labour remuneration for citizens, from 40 to 50 minimum amounts of labour remuneration for officials, from 500 to 1,000 minimum amounts of labour remuneration for legal entities.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 102-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to Article 18 of the Federal Law on the Main Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in the Referendum of the Citizens of the Russian Federation

The limit of permissible deviation in the forming of the single-mandate and/or multi-mandate election districts in the hard-to-access or remote localities is increased from 15% to 30% of the average norm of representation of the electorate. To preserve the borders of municipal formations when forming election districts to elect the deputies of the legislative (representative) body of state power of the subject of the Russian Federation, individual single-mandate election districts may be formed with permissible deviation of the average norm of representation of the electorate being not greater than 20%.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 101-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Creation of the Court of the Evenki Autonomous District

Creates the Court of the Evenki Autonomous District covering the territory of the mentioned autonomous district within the boundaries as of the moment of entry into force of the present Federal Law.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication with exceptions.

Federal Law No. 100-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Lithuanian Republic on the Reception and Return of the Persons Staying Illegally on the Territory of the Russian Federation and the Territory of the Lithuanian Republic (Re-Admission Agreement)

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Vilnius on May 12, 2003.

Federal Law No. 99-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Ratification of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Federative Republic of Brazil on the Extradition

Ratifies the Treaty signed in Moscow on January 14, 2002

Federal Law No. 98-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

Refines the wording of Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation specifying responsibility for the illegal crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 97-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to Articles 2 and 35 of the Federal Law on the Main Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in the Referendum of the Citizens of the Russian Federation

The Federal Law is being brought in compliance with the earlier amended Federal Laws on political parties and on the elections of the deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation pertaining to the procedure of creation of the electoral block when electing the deputies of the State Duma.
The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2004 with exceptions prohibiting admission to the electoral block of some of all-Russia public associations. The mentioned provisions are entered into force from the day of official publication of the Federal Law.

Federal Law No. 96-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendment to Article 11 of the Federal Law on the Bodies of the Judicial Community in the Russian

Sets forth that representatives of the President of the Russian Federation in the qualification boards of judges may be the citizens of the Russian Federation possessing higher legal education who did not commit any disgraceful acts.
Also refines the requirements to the representatives of the public in the qualification boards of judges.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 95-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the General Principles of Organisation of Legislative (Representative) and Executive Bodies of State Power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation

Amends the provisions of the Federal Law pertaining to the prevailing status of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the federal legislation, procedure of approval of the laws of the subject of the Russian Federation, promulgation procedure for the constitutions (charters), laws of the subjects of the Russian Federation, guarantees of the deputies' activities and deputy immunity. The Federal Law is extended to include new chapters "General Principles of Delimitation of Authority between the Federal Bodies of State Power and the Bodies of State Power of the Subject of the Russian Federation" and the "Economic Basis of Activities of the Bodies of State Power of the Subject of the Russian Federation".
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication with exceptions

Federal Law No. 94-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Adoption of the Federal Law on the Main Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in the Referendum of the Citizens of the Russian Federation

The Law of the Russian Federation on mass media specifies an additional reason to suspend the work of a mass media organisation by a court for the violation of the legislation on elections and referendums.
Corrects the articles of the Criminal Code on the responsibility for the prevention of implementation of the electoral rights or the work of election commissions, faking up of election documents or referendum documents. Introduces responsibility for the violation of the procedure of financing of an election campaign and activities of the initiative group arranging the referendum.
The changes are also introduced in the Federal Law on charitable activities and charitable organisations, Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation and the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation.

Federal Law No. 91-FZ of July 4, 2003 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Flag of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Flag of the Marine Fleet, Flags of Other Arms of the Russian Federation and Flags of Other Troops

Changes the description and design of the Flag of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The Flag of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is being brought in compliance with historical traditions of flag designs as official symbols and military relics.
The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.