Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 25.05.2004

Federal Law No. 44-FZ of May 22, 2004 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the Cooperation in the Sphere of Investigation and Use of the Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes

Ratifies the Agreement signed in St.Petersburg on April 10, 2001 contributing to the mutually beneficial scientific and technical, industrial, economic and other cooperation in the framework of joint activities pertaining to investigation and use of the outer space and application of outer space equipment and technologies for peaceful purposes.

Federal Law No. 43-FZ of May 22, 2004 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium on Cooperation in the Sphere of Investigation and Use of the Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on December 20, 2000 contributing to the mutually beneficial cooperation in various spheres of joint activities pertaining to investigation and use of the outer space and application of outer space equipment and technologies for peaceful purposes.

Federal Law No. 42-FZ of May 22, 2004 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the European Space Agency on Cooperation and Partnership in the Investigation and Use of the Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Paris on February 11, 2003 creating a legal and organisational basis for the continuation and multifaceted development of long-term mutually beneficial cooperation and partnership in joint activities, including the use of the outer space and application of outer space systems and technologies for peaceful purposes.

Federal Law No. 41-FZ of May 22, 2004 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in the Sphere of Investigation and Use of the Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Canberra on May 23, 2001 contributing to creation of organisational and legal basis for mutually beneficial cooperation in particular spheres of joint activities pertaining to investigation and use of the outer space and practical application of the outer space equipment and technologies for peaceful purposes.

Federal Law No. 40-FZ of May 22, 2004 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Italian Republic on Cooperation in Investigation and Use of the Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes

Ratifies the Agreement singed in Moscow on November 28, 2000 contributing to creation of the legal basis for conclusion of agreements in particular spheres and directions of joint activities pertaining to investigation and use of the outer space and application of outer space equipment and technologies.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 247 of May 21, 2004 on the Additional Restrictions on the Investing of Resources of Accumulated Pensions by the Management Companies Having Concluded Trust Control Contracts with the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation and Non-State Pension Funds Providing for Obligatory Pension Insurance in the Deposits in Roubles in Credit Organisations

Specifies additional requirements to the deposits in roubles in credit organisations necessary of the investing of resources of accumulated pensions by the management companies having concluded trust control contracts with the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation and non-state pension funds providing for obligatory pension insurance. The mentioned deposits may be placed in credit organisations possessing the general license of the Bank of Russia, as well as own resources of at least Rbl 5 billion with the time of operation from the moment of registration being at least 5 years. Besides, additional requirements include: absence of violations of obligatory normatives in the work of the banks and absence of measures of intervention with the credit organisation for the most recent six months pertaining to redemption of debts in credits.

Decision of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 4719/04 of May 20, 2004

The Decision pertains to the legality of application of taxation systems in the form of the uniform imputed income tax by organisations rendering services in the keeping of motor vehicles on paid car parkings.

The court recognised as contradicting the Tax Code of the Russian Federation the provision of Paragraph 4 of Item 5 of the Letter of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. SA-6-22/657 of June 11, 2003 stating that making profit from the rendering of services in the keeping of motor vehicles on paid car parkings by the taxpayers should be regarded as an independent type of entrepreneurial activities failing to fall under the taxation system in the form of the uniform imputed income tax.

Thus, organisations rendering the mentioned services may switch over to the uniform imputed income tax for individual types of activities under the condition that these services are being rendered to natural persons.