Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 16.05.2005

Federal Law No. 220-FZ of December 31, 2004 on the Amendments to Articles 231 and 232 of the Federal Law on Insolvency (Bankruptcy)

The time limit for the entry into force of Paragraph 6 "Bankruptcy of the Subjects of Natural Monopolies" of Chapter IX of the Federal Law No. 127-FZ of October 26, 2002 is shifted from January 1, 2005 to July 1, 2009.

The Federal Law No. 122-FZ of June 24, 1999 on the particulars of insolvency (bankruptcy) of the subjects of natural monopolies of the fuel and power-supply complex is invalidated from July 1, 2009, not from January 1, 2005 as was specified earlier.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 219-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Adoption of the Federal Law on the Credits Histories

The amendments introduce the right of the Bank of Russia to apply from September 1, 2005 as an enforcement measure to credit organisations sanctions for the failure to present information to credit history bureaus.

Article 857 of the Civil Code is extended to include the provision stating that information comprising the bank secret may be presented to only the clients or their representatives, as well as to the credit history bureaus for the reasons and according to the procedure envisaged in the law. The state bodies and their officials may get such information exclusively in cases and according to the procedure envisaged in the Federal Law on the credit histories.

The Code of Administrative Violations is extended to include a number of provisions on the responsibility for the violation of the procedure of creation and functioning of the credit history bureaus.

The Federal Law is entered into force from June 1, 2005 except for a number of provisions where other time limits are envisaged for the entry into force.

Federal Law No. 218-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Credit Histories

Defines the notion and composition of the credit history, the grounds, procedure of building, keeping and use of credit histories, regulates activities of the credit history bureaus associated with it, specifies the particulars of creation, liquidation and reorganisation of the credit history bureaus, as well as the principles of their interaction with the sources of creation of the credit history, borrowers, bodies of state power, bodies of local government and the Bank of Russia.

Specifies the legal and organisational fundamentals of generation, processing, storage and disclosing by the credit history bureaus of information characterising the timely execution by the borrowers of their obligations under the loan (credit) contracts, improvement of creditor and borrower protection at the expense of the general reduction of credit risks, improvement of efficiency of work of credit organisations. The main goal of the credit history bureaus is accumulation of the certain list of information characterising the payment discipline of the borrower in execution of the loan (credit) contracts and comprising in aggregate the credit histories of legal entities and natural persons.

Credit organisations must bring their activities within nine months in compliance with the requirements to credit organisations being the sources of generation of credit histories. The sources of generation of credit histories must present to the credit history bureaus information on the earlier concluded loan (credit) contracts in the presence of the written direction (consent) of the appropriate subject of credit histories for the transfer of the mentioned information.

The Federal Law is entered into force from June 1, 2005 except for the provision on the duty of submission by credit organisations of information envisaged in the Federal Law on all borrowers having agreed for its submission to at least one of the credit history bureaus included in the State Register of Credit History Bureaus. The given provision is entered into force from September 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 217-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Amendments to Article 223 of Part 1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law on the State Registration of the Rights for Immovable Property and Transactions with It

The amendments enhance the rights of the bona fide purchasers of property including the immovable one, as well as introduce the system of financial responsibility of the Russian Federation for the loss of the property right for the dwelling space. Immovable property is recognised to be possessed by the bona fide purchaser on the proprietary basis from the moment of the state registration, except for the cases envisaged in Article 302 of the Civil Code when the owner may recover such property from the bona fide purchaser. Earlier, there were situations when the owners were considered to be as such only formally, i.e. possession and use of the property were in the hands of the bona fide purchaser, with the right of disposal, although being with the owner, could not be implemented. Meanwhile, the bona fide purchaser had difficulties committing transactions with such property.

The owner of the dwelling space who cannot recover it from the bona fide purchaser, as well as the bona fide purchaser having lost the dwelling space, is entitled for a once-only compensation at the expense of the Russian Federation. The amount of the given compensation is calculated proceeding form the amount of the actual damage, however, may not be greater than Rbl 1 million. The mentioned provisions apply only if the state registration of the proprietary right of the bona fide purchaser for the dwelling space occurred after January 1, 2005.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 216-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Hypothec (Immovable Property Mortgage)

Excludes the requirement of the notary certification of the mortgage contract. Specifies that the debtor under the mortgage-secured obligation, the mortgager and the legal holder of the mortgage deed may change the earlier specified terms of the deed. In the previous wording, the terms of the deed could only be changed in a number of cases. The state registration of the agreement on the change of the content of the deed must be carried out within one day from the moment when the applicant summons to the body in charge of the state registration of rights. The state registration of such agreement is carried out free of charge.

The borrower being a mortgager under the mortgage contract for the dwelling home or flat may insure the risk of the liability to the creditor for the failure to execute or improper execution of the obligation to return the credit. The insured amount under the contract of insurance of the borrower liability may not be greater than 20% of the cost of the mortgaged property.

As a general rule, the Law specifies the provision stating that in cases of the land plot mortgage, the right of pledge applies also to the available or constructed on the land plot building or structure of the mortgager (if otherwise is not envisaged in the contract).

The Law specifies the particulars of the mortgage of the land plot purchased with the credit resources of a bank or another credit organisation or resources of the tied loan, as well as the mortgage of the land plot housing the buildings or structures purchased or constructed using the mentioned resources.

Federal Law No. 215-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Savings Housing Cooperatives

Defines the legal, economic and organisational fundaments of activities of the savings housing cooperatives in attraction and use of monetary resources of their member-citizens for the purchase or construction of the dwelling space to be handed over for use and, after the transfer of shares in full amount, in the property of the members of the savings housing cooperatives, as well as specifies the guarantees of protection of the rights and legal interests of citizens being members of the savings housing cooperatives. Specifies the legal status of the savings housing cooperatives, the rights and duties of their members, procedure of creation, reorganisation and liquidation of the savings housing cooperatives, as well as the procedure of their activities in attraction and use of the monetary resources of citizens for the purchase of the dwelling space.

The number of the members of the cooperative may not be less than 50 and greater than 5,000. The members of the cooperative assume the risk of losses associated with the activities of the cooperative within the limits of their accumulated shares.

The Law specifies the requirements to the financial stability of activities of the cooperative. In particular, the amount of the first contribution after which the right for the purchase or construction of the dwelling space by the cooperative occurs for its transfer for use to the cooperative member may not be less than 30% of the amount of the share of the cooperative member. The cost of purchase of the rights for the constructed as a shared participation dwelling space and the cost of the dwelling space constructed by the cooperative may not be greater than 20% of the cost of the cooperative property. The minimum time limit for the cooperative member to transfer the part of the share when the right for the purchase or construction of the cooperative dwelling space occurs is defined in the cooperative charter. Beginning with the second year of the activities of the cooperative in attraction and use of the monetary resources of citizens for the purchase of the dwelling space, the mentioned minimum time limit may not be less than two years. The Law provides the list of transactions permitted only after approval by the general meeting of the cooperative members.

Constituent documents of the earlier created cooperatives and other organisations and engaged in activities in attraction and use of the monetary resources of citizens for the purchase of dwelling space, except for the constituent documents of the housing and housing construction cooperatives, must be brought in compliance with the Federal Law within one year from its entry into force.

The Federal Law is entered into force 90 days after the day of its official publication except for a number of provisions where another time limit is specified for their entry into force.

Federal Law No. 214-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Participation in the Shared Construction of the Multi-Apartment Homes and Other Objects of Immovable Property and on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

Regulates relations pertaining to attraction of monetary resources of citizens and legal entities for the shared constriction of multi-apartment homes and/or other objects of immovable property on the basis of the contract of participation in the shared construction and to the proprietary right for the objects of the shared construction emerging with its participants, as well as specifies the guarantees of protection of the rights, legal interests and property of participants of shared construction.

Construction parties may attract monetary resources only after obtaining the permission for the construction, publication and/or placing of the design declaration and the state registration of the proprietary right or the lease right for the land plot provided for the construction (creation) of a multi-apartment home and/or other objects of immovable property involving objects of shared construction. If cases of attraction of monetary resources by the person failing to meet the mentioned conditions, the citizen may demand an immediate return of the monetary resources handed over to him, as well as the payment of interest envisaged in Article 395 of the Civil Code in double the amount for the amount of these resources and reimbursement of the damages incurred on the citizens in excess of the interest.

A contract of participation in the shared construction is concluded between the construction party and the participant of the shared construction. Relations emerging from the contract involving a citizen (concluding the contract exclusively for personal, family, household and other needs other than entrepreneurial activities) are covered by the legislation on the protection of consumer rights. The contracts of participation in the shared construction are subject to the state registration.

The construction party must hand over the object of the shared construction to the participant of the shared construction no later than the deadline envisaged in the contract. In case of a violation of this time limit, the construction party shall pay to the participant of the shared construction the forfeit (penalties) in the amount of 1/75 of the rate of refinancing of the Bank of Russia as of the day of execution of the obligation from the contract price for each overdue day.

The Code of Administrative Violations is extended to include the new Article 14.28 specifying administrative responsibility for the violation of the requirements of the legislation on participation in the shared construction of multi-apartment homes and/or other objects of immovable property.

The Federal Law is entered into force three months after the day of its official publication.

Federal Law no. 213-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Amendments to Part 1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation

Includes in immovable property objects of unfinished construction. The new rule states that the transfer of the proprietary right for the dwelling home or apartment to another person serves as grounds to terminate the right of use of the dwelling space by the family members of the previous owner. Excludes the norm requiring to obtain the permission of the body of trusteeship to alienate the dwelling space being the place of living of the underage, disabled or with restricted abilities owner family members. The requirement to obtain such consent applies only to alienation of the dwelling space being the place of living of the owner family members of the given dwelling space covered by trusteeship or the underage owner family members having found themselves without parental support (which is known to the body of trusteeship).

In cases of the mortgage contract for the land plot, the mortgage right applies to the available or constructed on this land plot mortgager buildings and structures if otherwise is not envisaged in the contract.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 212-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Amendments to Articles 212 and 217 of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, As Well As on Invalidation of Article 3 of the Federal Law on the Amendments to Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, on the Amendment to Article 19 of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Fundamentals of the Tax System in the Russian Federation, As Well As on Invalidation of Individual Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

Specifies that in the determination of the taxable base for the income tax from natural persons, the material benefit obtained from operations with credit cards during the interest-free period specified in the credit card contract is not included in the incomes obtained as a material gain from saving on the interest for the use of the borrowed (credit) resources obtained from organisations or independent entrepreneurs. The given rule applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2005.

The stocks obtained by stock-holders as a result of distribution or conversion during reorganisation do not generate any incomes subject to the income tax from natural persons. The given norm applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2004.

The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication with exceptions.

Federal Law No. 211-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation and Invalidation of Individual Provisions of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Adoption of the Federal Law on the Fundamentals of Regulation of Tariff Rates of Organisations of the Communal Complex

Refines the composition of Article 14.6 "Violation of the Pricing Procedure" of the Code of Administrative Violations. Administrative responsibility is also introduced for the violation of the specified procedure of regulation of prices (tariff rates). The amendments to the laws on the electric power industry, on the state regulation of tariff rates for electric and thermal power and on the general principles of organisation of the local government eliminate different approaches to the general principles of the state regulation of tariff rates.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 2, 2005 except for individual norms where other time limits for the entry into force are envisaged.

Federal Law No. 210-FZ of December 30, 2004 on the Fundamentals of Regulation of Tariff Rates of Organisations of the Communal Complex

Specifies the fundamentals of regulation of tariff rates of organisations of the communal complex providing electric power, heat and water supplies, water disposal and purification of waste water, utilisation (storage) of solid household waste, as well as of mark-ups to the prices (tariff rates) for consumers and mark-ups to tariff rates for commodities and services of organisations of the communal complex. Defines the authority of the Government of the Russian Federation, bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation and the bodies of local government in the sphere of regulation of tariff rates and mark-ups.

Financial needs of the organisation of the communal complex necessary for the implementation of its operational program are satisfied at the expense of resources received from the sale of commodities (rendering of services) of the given organisation at the specified tariff rates for commodities and services. The cutting of expenses of the given organisation may not serve as grounds for an early (in advance of the date of the end of the effective period of tariff rates) revision of tariff rates for commodities and services of the given organisation.

Three methods of regulation of tariff rates are specified: introduction of fixed tariff rates for the subsequent period, introduction of the limiting tariff rates and the indexing of tariff rates.

The Law provides the procedure of determination of payment for the connection to the engineering support networks for the parties carrying out construction and/or reconstruction of the building, structure, other object if the given reconstruction will cause an increased consumption for the mentioned objects. Specifies the rules of use of tariff rates and mark-ups, as well as the reasons for their early revision.

Until January 1, 2010, in the absence of programs of complex development of the systems of communal infrastructure of municipal formations, technical orders for the development of investment programs of organisations of the communal complex shall be endorsed by the representative bodies of municipal formations. The payment for the communal services for the dweller citizens and owners of the dwelling space is fixed in compliance with the housing legislation of the Russian Federation taking into account the mark-ups to the prices (tariff rates) for consumers specified in the present Federal Law.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2006 except for individual norms where another time limit for the entry into force is envisaged.

Federal Law No. 208-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Amendment to Article 346.27 of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

The amendment refines the wording of the shop floor (client service floor) area used for the purposes of Chapter 26.3 "Taxation System in the Form of the Uniform Imputed Income Tax for Individual Types of Activities" of the Tax Code. The Law specifies that the mentioned area does not include ancillary, administrative rooms, as well as the rooms used for acceptance, storage of commodities and their preparation for sale where the visitors are not served.

The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication, however, no sooner than the 1st of the subsequent tax period for the uniform imputed income tax for individual types of activities.

Federal Law No. 207-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Insurance Tariff Rates for the Obligatory Social Insurance against Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases for the Year 2005

In 2005, preserves the terms and amounts of fixing of insurance tariff rates that were in effect in 2001 and prolonged by appropriate federal laws for the years 2002-2004. Preserves 22 insurance tariff rates (from 0.2% to 8.5% of the labour remuneration fund) differentiated depending on the occupational risk class.

The exemption for the payment of insurance contributions for obligatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases introduced in 2001 and prolonged for the years 2002-2004 also preserves in 2005. However, the exemption applies to organisations of any organisational and legal forms, not only those forming part of the public all-Russia organisations of invalids. The given organisations shall pay insurance contributions in the amount of 60% of the specified amounts of insurance tariff rates pertaining to those accrued on all grounds regardless of the sources of financing payments in the monetary form and/or in kind (including rewards under the civil contracts in appropriate cases) in favour of the insured being Group I, II and III invalids.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 206-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Amendment to Article 12 of the Federal Law on the State Allowances to the Citizens with Children

The amount of the lumpsum allowance paid out at the birth (adoption) of the child is increased from Rbl 4,500 to Rbl 6,000.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 205-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Amendments to Article 346.13 of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

The amendments refine the procedure and terms of beginning and termination of use of the simplified system of taxation for the newly created organisations and newly registered independent entrepreneurs. The mentioned entities may apply the simplified system of taxation from the moment of creation of the organisation or from the moment of registration of the natural person as an independent entrepreneur, not only in the current calendar year as was specified earlier.

The termination of use of the simplified system of taxation for organisations with the share of direct participation of other organisations being greater than 25%, as well as for organisations and independent entrepreneurs with the average number of employees greater than 100, is carried out according to the same procedure as in the cases when the taxpayer income is greater than Rbl 15 million or the residual cost of the fixed assets and non-material assets is greater than Rbl 100 million.

The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication, however, no sooner than the 1st of the subsequent tax period for the uniform tax of the simplified system of taxation.

Federal Law No. 204-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Amendments to Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

Payments to the successors of the insured diseased in cases envisaged in the legislation on obligatory pension insurance are qualified as incomes from sources in the Russian Federation subject to the income tax from natural persons. The Law changes the procedure of determination of the taxable base for the income tax from natural persons and specifies the particulars of determination of the taxable base for the contracts of non-state pension support and the contracts of obligatory pension insurance concluded with non-state pension funds.

Also changes Chapter 25 "Profit Tax from Organisations" of the Tax Code. The list of incomes excluded from the taxable base includes property (works, services) obtained by medical originations carrying out medical activities in the framework of obligatory medical insurance from insurance organisations providing such insurance at the expense of the reserve of financing of preventive measures. The mentioned list also includes incomes from investing of resources of accumulated pensions intended for the financing of the accumulated part of the labour pension obtained by organisations acting as insurers under obligatory pension insurance. The given accumulated pensions, including the insurance contributions under obligatory pension insurance, are also exempted from the income tax from natural persons.

Other expenses pertaining to production and/or sale include employer payments (contributions) under the contracts of voluntary personal insurance, as well as expenses to pay out the temporary disability allowance because of the illness or injury (except for the industrial accidents and occupational diseases) for the first two days of the employee disability not covered by insurance payments to employees from insurance organisations.

The Law extends the list of expenses exempted from taxation. The mentioned list includes individual expenses pertaining to the investing of resources of accumulated pensions intended for the financing of the accumulated part of the labour pension. Defines the particulars of determination of incomes and expenses of insurance organisations providing obligatory medical insurance.

The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication and applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2005 except for the provisions where another procedure of entry into force is envisaged.

Federal Law No. 203-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Amendments to Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

The amendments increase the amount of the standard tax exemption for children from Rbl 300 to Rbl 600 for each month of the tax period and increase from Rbl 20,000 to Rbl 40,000 the aggregate amount of incomes where this tax exemption applies.

Adoptive parents are included in the taxpayers entitled for the mentioned standard tax exemption.

The Federal Law is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication. The Federal Law applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 202-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Budget of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation for the Year 2005

Endorses the budget of the Social Insurance Fund for the year 2005 with incomes amounting to Rbl 185,514,656.5 thousand, Rbl 150,041,229.3 thousand out of which intended for the obligatory social insurance, and expenses amounting to Rbl 190,789,598.7 thousand, Rbl 155,680,972.9 thousand out of which intended for the obligatory social insurance.

In 2005, before the adoption of the special federal law, the temporary disability allowance because of the illness or injury (except for the industrial accidents and occupational diseases) is paid out to the insured for the first two days of the temporary disability at the expense of employer resources, and from the third day of the temporary disability - at the expense of resources of the Social Insurance Fund of Russia.

In 2005 the provision preserves stating that resources of the obligatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases are used to pay for the expenses of the special outside medical care for the insured in the amount of Rbl 900 per month and expenses of the outside household care for the insured in the amount of Rbl 225 per month. The Law also preserves the procedure of calculation of the temporary disability and maternity allowances specified in 2004. Specifies that the maximum amount of the temporary disability and maternity allowances for the full calendar month may not be greater than Rbl 12,480.

In 2005, resources of the obligatory social insurance are allocated to pay fully or partially for the cost of accommodations for the children of the insured: to the children's sanatoria and rehabilitation camps of round-the-year service for 21-24 days proceeding from Rbl 400 per child per day; to the suburban stationary children's rehabilitation camps for up to 24 days during the school vacation according to the procedure defined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

The amount of the lumpsum insurance payment under the obligatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases is determined according to the loss of professional abilities of the insured proceeding from Rbl 43.2 thousand. In 2004, the mentioned amount was Rbl 30,000. The amount of the lumpsum insurance payment in case of death of the insured is also increased to Rbl 43.2 thousand. In 2005, the amount of the monthly insurance payment may not be greater than Rbl 33,000.

The Federal Law is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 189-FZ of December 29, 2004 on the Entry into Force of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation

The new Housing Code is entered into force from March 1, 2005. The same date is used to invalidate the Housing Code of the RSFSR, the Laws on the fundamentals of the federal housing policy, on the partnerships of owners of dwelling space with amendments. The fundamentals of the housing legislation of the USSR and the union republics of June 24, 1981 are invalidated on the territory of the Russian Federation from March 1, 2005.

The laws and other normative legal acts being in effect on the territory of the Russian Federation before they are being brought in compliance with the Housing Code shall apply inasmuch as they do not contradict the Housing Code. The earlier issued normative legal acts of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR and the Russian Federation not being laws and the normative legal acts of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, as well as the normative legal acts of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR applied on the territory of the Russian Federation not being laws and normative legal acts of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the President of the USSR, the Government of the USSR on issues that can be regulated only by the federal laws according to the Housing Code shall remain in force till the entry into force of the appropriate federal laws.

The earlier emerging housing relations shall be covered by the Housing Code where it pertains to the rights and duties emerging after its entry into force except for a number of cases.

Citizens registered before March 1, 2005 to get the dwelling space under the social lease contracts preserve their right of registration until they get their dwelling space under the social lease contracts.

Before the amendments are introduced in the federal laws and other normative legal acts, the earlier specified procedure of granting benefits to citizens is preserved in the payment for the dwelling space and communal services.

The housing or the housing construction cooperatives where all members have paid out their shares in full amount for the dwelling space provided by this cooperative must be converted before January 1, 2007 into the partnerships of owners of dwelling space or liquidated. After this deadline, the cooperatives having failed to convert must be liquidated according to the court proceedings.

Housing Code of the Russian Federation No. 188-FZ of December 29, 2004

The new Housing Code of the Russian Federation shall replace the Housing Code of the RSFSR having been in effect for more than 20 years.

In the Code, special emphasis is placed on the delimitation of the authority among the bodies of state power of the Russian Federation, subjects of the Russian Federation and the bodies of local government in the sphere of housing relations. Four types of the dwelling fund are specified depending on its destination: dwelling fund of social use (under the social lease contracts), specialised dwelling fund (for individual categories of citizens), personal dwelling fund (for proprietors), dwelling fund of commercial use (for commutative use).

Significant changes are introduced in the provisions pertaining to the priority of granting of the dwelling space under the social lease contracts. Three categories of citizens are specified permitted to get the dwelling space under the social lease contracts according to the priority procedure:

- citizens whose dwelling space is recognised to be inadequate for living according to established procedure and is not scheduled for repair or reconstruction;

- orphan children and children having found themselves without parental support;

- citizens suffering from acute forms of chronic diseases.

All other citizens registered as needing dwelling space shall get the dwelling space according to the waiting list proceeding from the time of such registration.

The payment for the dwelling space and communal services shall be transferred as before on the monthly basis before the 10th of the month following the expired one if another deadline is not specified in the management contract of the multi-apartment home.

The amendments are also stipulated by the abolishment of the dwelling order granted under the social lease contract. The social lease contract serves as grounds to occupy the dwelling space. Temporary absence of the dweller under the social lease contract or any of his family members living together with him, or all of these citizens, does not imply a change of their rights and duties under the social lease contract.

Special chapters are introduced in the Housing Code for the first time dedicated to the regulation of the transfer of the dwelling space into non-dwelling one, and non-dwelling space into the dwelling one, respectively, rearrangement of the dwelling space, proprietary relations for the objects of common use of the multi-apartment home, creation, goals of organisation and activities of the partnership of owners of the dwelling space, legal status of the members of the partnership of owners of dwelling space.

Decision of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 4149/04 of December 14, 2004

The Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation in pursuance of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised the right of the taxpayer to enjoy the tax exemption even in the case when the payments for the commodities (works, services) were made from borrowed resources. The dispute over the right for the tax exemption pertaining to execution of the duty to pay the tax (including the cases of change by the tax bodies of the legal status of the transactions concluded by the taxpayer with third parties) was resolved in favour of the taxpayer. The Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation emphasised that the right for the exemption may not occur if the property purchased under a commutative contract by the moment of transfer of the tax to the supplier in payment of the accrued amounts is either not paid for or paid for incompletely or clearly will not be paid for in the future. Thus, the right for the exemption does not occur only if the tax bodie s can prove taxpayer unfairness.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 880 of December 30, 2004 on the Particulars of Application of the Special Protective Measure for Poultry Meat in 2005

Specifies a new procedure of distribution among the supplier states of the import quota for the poultry meat in 2005. The main importer is the USA (771,900 tons). As before, the import of poultry meat within the specified quota will be implemented on the basis of the license of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 879 of December 30, 2004 on the Regulation of the Import of Pork in 2005

In 2005, the pork will be imported using the rate of 15% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 0.25 per kg within the limits of the quota equal to 467,400 tons per year in the presence of the license issued by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. The greater part of the quota falls on the countries of the European Union, as well as the USA and Paraguay. The Decision specifies the special procedure and time limits for the issue of the license. Thus, before August 1, 2005, the licenses will be issued for the import of 85% of the total volume of the quota to foreign trade participants having drawn up in 2004 licenses for the import of pork. The remaining 15% of the volume of pork will be sold at the auction.

The pork imported in excess of the specified quota will be taxed at the rate of 80% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 1.06 per kg.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication with exceptions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 878 of December 30, 2004 on the Regulation of the Import of Frozen Beef in 2005

In 2005, frozen beef will be imported using the rate of 15% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 0.15 per kg within the limits of the quota equal to 430,000 tons per year in the presence of the license issued by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. The greater part of the quota falls on the countries of the European Union, as well as the USA and Paraguay. The Decision specifies the special procedure and time limits for the issue of the license. Thus, before August 1, 2004, the licenses will be issued for the import of 85% of the total volume of the quota to foreign trade participants having drawn up in 2004 the licenses for the import of frozen beef. The remaining 15% of the volume of beef will be sold at the auction.

Frozen beef imported in excess of the specified quota will be taxed at the rate of 60% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 0.6 per kg.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication with exceptions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 877 of December 30, 2004 on the Regulation of the Import of Fresh and Chilled Beef in 2005

In 2005, fresh and chilled beef will be imported using the rate of 15% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 0.2 per kg within the limits of the quota equal to 27,500 tons per year in the presence of the license issued by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. The greater part of the quota falls on the countries of the European Union. The Decision specifies the special procedure and time limits for the issue of the license. Thus, before August 1, 2004, the licenses will be issued for the import of 85% of the total volume of the quota to foreign trade participants having drawn up in 2004 the licenses for the import of fresh and chilled beef. The remaining 15% of the volume of beef will be sold at the auction.

The fresh and chilled beef imported in excess of the specified quota will be taxed at the rate of 60% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 0.8 per kg.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication with exceptions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 863 of December 28, 2004 on the Rates of the Customs Fees for the Customs Registration of Commodities

Specifies the rates to be used for the customs fees for the customs registration of commodities including the transport vehicles moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation. The minimum amount makes Rbl 500 for the customs registration of commodities with the customs cost less than Rbl 200,000 inclusive. The maximum amount makes Rbl 100,000 for the customs registration of commodities with the customs cost being Rbl 30,000,000.01 and more.

For the customs registration of commodities moved by the railway transport under the customs regime of international customs transit, the customs fees for the customs registration are paid in the amount of Rbl 500 for each consignment of commodities moved under one waybill in a single transport vehicle.

For the customs registration of securities in foreign currencies moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation, the customs fees for the customs registration are paid in the amount of Rbl 500 for the consignment of securities drawn up under one customs declaration.

For the customs registration of commodities moved by natural persons for own needs other than entrepreneurial activities, except for cars, the customs fees for the customs registration are paid in the amount of Rbl 250. The customs fees for the customs registration of cars are paid according to the common procedure.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 862 of December 28, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Rules for the Persons Having Been Exposed to Radiation because of the Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station, As Well As the Nuclear Tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Field, and Similar Categories of Citizens to Apply for Social Services

The mentioned citizens may apply annually before October 1 of the current year for the state social aid in the form of a set of social services by submitting an application to the territorial body of the pension fund making monthly monetary payments. The application for the year 2005 is submitted any time from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005 after the right for the social services occur.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 856 of December 27, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Providing Free Medicines for Out-Patient AIDS Treatment in the Specialised Federal Medical Institutions

Free medicines are intended for grown-up and child AIDS patients observed in the specialised federal medical institutions, as well as the citizens needing preventive AIDS treatment. The medicines are provided free of charge to the prescription of the doctor of the mentioned institution from the moment of diagnosing of the disease or the presence of indications for the AIDS treatment during the whole period of observation. The free medicines are handed out in the designated structural division of the specialised federal medical institution.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 855 of December 27, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Interim Rules of Checking of the Signs of a Fictitious and Deliberate Bankruptcy by the Bankruptcy Commissioner

Defines the rules to be used by bankruptcy commissioners to check the presence of signs of a fictitious and deliberate bankruptcy. The signs of a deliberate bankruptcy are being revealed both during the period preceding the bankruptcy proceedings and in the course of them. The revealing of the sings of a deliberate bankruptcy is arranged in two stages. At the first stage, analysis of figures and dynamics of coefficients is carried out characterising the debtor paying capacity calculated for the investigated period. If two or more coefficients show a significant deterioration, the second stage is arranged which includes an analysis of the debtor transactions and actions of the debtor management bodies for the investigated period that might have caused such deterioration.

Determination of the signs of a fictitious bankruptcy is carried out if the bankruptcy proceedings are initiated at the debtor application.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 853 of December 27, 2004 on the Procedure of Maintenance of Sufficiency of Own Resources (Capital) of the Management Company and the Specialised Depositary as Compared to the Volume of Served Assets

Specifies the procedure of maintenance of sufficiency of own resources (capital) of the management company providing trust control for the resources of the accumulated pensions on the basis of the contract with a non-state pension fund being an insurer in obligatory pension insurance as compared to the volume of served assets. Besides, a similar procedure is specified for the specialised depositary of the non-state pension fund being an insurer in obligatory pension insurance as compared to the volume of served assets.

The figure of sufficiency of own resources (capital) as compared to the volume of served assets may not be lower than the normative of sufficiency of own resources specified by the Federal Service of Financial Markets of Russia.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 122n of December 24, 2004 on the Prolongation of the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 9n of February 2, 1999 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Drawing up and Issue in 1999 of the Permissions to Open Accounts of Organisations Financed from the Federal Budget to Register Resources Obtained from Entrepreneurial and Other Profitable Activities

The mentioned Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia is prolonged for the year 2005 inasmuch as it pertains to the procedure of drawing up and issue by the territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury of permissions to open accounts in the divisions of the payment network of the Bank of Russia and credit organisations on the Balance Accounts 40503 "Accounts of the Federally Owned Organisations. Non-Commercial Organisations" and 40302 "Resources for the Federal Institutions Temporarily Available at the Disposal of the Budget-Supported Organisations".

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 30, 2004. Reg. No. 6249.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 199 of December 24, 2004 on the Amendments to the Normative Legal Acts of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on the Practice of the State Registration of the Rights for Immovable Property and Transactions with It

The amendments are stipulated by the entry into force from January 1, 2005 of the amendments to the Law on the state registration of the rights for immovable property and transactions with it endorsed by the Federal Law No. 122-FZ of August 22, 2004. It is not permitted to change the numbers of the logbooks of documents and the ordinal numbers of records in them that were used before December 31, 2004 inclusive by the judicial institutions in charge of the state registration of the rights for immovable property and transactions with it to register the adopted applications and other documents.

The Order is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 30, 2004. Reg. No. 6247.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1517-U of November 17, 2004 on the Payments of the Bank of Russia on the Deposits of Natural Persons in the Bankrupt Banks Failing to Participate in the System of Obligatory Insurance of the Deposits of Natural Persons in the Banks of the Russian Federation and on the Procedure of Interaction of the Agent Banks with the Bank of Russia

Specifies the rules of making payments of the Bank of Russia on the deposits of natural persons in the bankrupt banks failing to participate in the system of obligatory insurance of the deposits of natural persons with the license for bank operations revoked after the entry into force of the Federal Law on the insurance of the deposits of natural persons in the banks of the Russian Federation. The Direction provides the procedure of calculation of the amount of payments of the Bank of Russia, procedure of making payments of the Bank of Russia and the procedure of interaction of the agent banks with the Bank of Russia. The payments of the Bank of Russia are made in the amount defined by the Bank of Russia, however, not more than Rbl 100,000 to a single natural person. Announcements of payments are published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia. The payments are effected during the period indicated in this announcement on the basis of application drawn up according to the form provided in the Direction under the condition of the personal visit of the depositor or his representative acting on the basis of the notary-certified proxy.

Specifies that from the day of publication of the announcement of payments of the Bank of Russia and to the day of their termination, the bankruptcy commissioner is prohibited to make payments to the first-priority creditors without the written consent of the Bank of Russia.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia. The text of the Direction has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on December 31, 2004, No. 74.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 22, 2004. Reg. No. 6229.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 287 of November 29, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Personal Program of Rehabilitation of the Invalid Handed out by the Federal Institutions of the Social Medical Expert Evaluation

The personal program of rehabilitation of the invalid is a complex of optimal for the invalid rehabilitation measures including individual types, forms, volumes, time limits and procedure of implementation of medical, professional and other rehabilitation measures intended for the restoration, compensation of the impaired or lost body functions, restoration, compensation of the invalid abilities to fulfil certain types of activities. The personal program of rehabilitation of the invalid contains rehabilitation measures provided to the invalid free of charge, as well as rehabilitation measures paid by the invalid himself or other persons or organisations.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 22, 2004. Reg. No. 6226.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1536-U of December 24, 2004 on the Amendments to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 186-P of March 19, 2002 on the Monitoring of Enterprises Carried out by the Bank of Russia

Invalidates the norms specifying the procedure of monitoring of enterprises carried out by the Department of Work with the Territorial Institutions of the Bank of Russia. The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia. The text of the Direction has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on December 31, 2004, No. 74.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1535-U of December 23, 2004 on the Invalidation of the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1069-U of December 13, 2001 on the Annual Report of the Credit Organisation

The Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1069-U of December 13, 2001 on the annual report of the credit organisation is invalidated pursuant to the adoption of the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1530-U of December 17, 2004 on the procedure of drawing up by credit organisations of the annual accounting report.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia. The text of the Direction has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on December 31, 2004, No. 74.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 5 of January 5, 2005 on the Endorsement of the List of the Terminal Equipment Moved across the Customs Border of the Russian Federation without a Special Import Permission and the Rules of Use of the Terminal Equipment Imported to the Customs Territory of the Russian Federation

The terminal equipment included in the endorsed list is moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation without the special import permission. The terminal equipment intended for use in a public-use communication network, as well as in technological communication networks and special-purpose communication networks if they are connected to a public-use communication network, must undergo compliance confirmation on the obligatory basis.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 2 of January 5, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Subsidies Granted from the Fund of Reformation of the Regional and Municipal Finances

Defines the grounds, procedure and terms of granting and spending of resources of the Fund of Reformation of the Regional and Municipal Finances including the procedure of selection of the subjects of the Russian Federation (municipal formations) to get the Fund subsidies. The Fund subsidies are provided to the recipients determined as a result of selection and having fulfilled the programs of reformation of the regional (municipal) finances or stages thereof.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 899 of December 31, 2004 on the Procedure of Providing Medical Services and Sanatoria-and-Resort Treatment to Citizens Employed in the Works with Chemical Weapons

Citizens employed in the works with chemical weapons shall enjoy free of charge out-patient and stationary medical services, examination, including the expert evaluation to establish disease association with occupational activities, and treatment in the specialised medical institutions subordinate to the Federal Medical and Biological Agency. The mentioned citizens shall get compensation of the cost of travel to the place of examination and treatment (back and forth) on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Decision also defines the procedure of granting of compensation to the mentioned citizens of the cost of sanatoria accommodations and travel to the place of sanatoria-and-resort treatment (back and forth) on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 896 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the List of the Means of Communication Subject to Obligatory Certification

The means of communication mentioned in the list are subject to obligatory certification if they are used in a public-use communication network, as well as in technological communication networks and special-purpose communication networks if these networks are connected to a public-use network. Obligatory certification also applies to the means of communication of technological communication networks and special-purpose communication networks used to directly connect these networks to a public-use network.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 895 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Priority Use, As Well As Suspension or Restriction of Use of Any Communication Networks and Means of Communication during Emergency Situations of Natural or Technical Nature

Defines the procedure of priority use, as well as suspension or restriction of use of any communication networks and means of communication during emergency situations of natural or technical nature. The priority users are the Ministry of Defence of Russia, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Federal Security Service, Federal Guard Service, Foreign Intelligence Service, Ministry of Justice of Russia, their subordinate services and agencies, as well as the bodies of coordination of all levels of the uniform state system of prevention and elimination of emergency situations.

The Decision to suspend or restrict the use of communication networks and means of communication during emergency situations is taken by the Federal Agency of Communication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 894 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the List of Emergency Operative Services to Be Connected to by the Communication Operator on the Round-the-Clock Basis and Free of Charge and on the Assigning of the Uniform Number for Calling the Emergency Operative Services

Beginning with 2008, number "112" will be used as the uniform number for calling emergency operative services on the whole territory of the Russian Federation including the Fire Service, Emergency Response Service, Militia, Emergency Medical Aid Service, Emergency Service of the Gas-Supply Network and the Anti-Terrorist Service. Connection to the mentioned services is provided round the clock and free of charge.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 891 of December 31, 2004 on the Amendments to the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation and the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1364 of December 9, 1999 Pertaining to Cellulose Used to Produce Filter Paper

Adjusts individual subheadings of the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation pertaining to cellulose used to produce filter paper. Introduces new rates of the import customs duties for nine months: 5% of the customs cost for cellulose of coniferous trees used to produce filter paper (with confirmation of the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of Russia of the destination of the imported commodities) and 15% of the customs cost for other cellulose.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 886 of December 31, 2004 on the Amendments to the Regulation on the Military Medical Expert Evaluation

The names of the bodies of state power providing military medical expert evaluation are being brought in compliance with the actual structure of the bodies of state power.

If the medical organisations of municipal formations cannot provide medical specialists to carry out medical certification of the citizens for initial registration for the draft purposes, citizens called up for the military service (training exercises), medical examination of citizens other than those being in the reserve and draft servicemen, their absence is replenished with specialist doctors and auxiliary medical personnel of the medical organisations of the subject of the Russian Federation.

Organisation of the medical certification at the initial registration for the draft purposes of females after they obtain military specialisation and persons having received the citizenship of the Russian Federation is vested in the military commissar.

The Decision refines the health requirements for the citizens waiting initial registration for the draft purposes, citizens called up for the military service (training exercises), citizens admitted to contract service, citizens admitted to colleges, military educational institutions, servicemen, citizens of the reserve of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 885 of December 31, 2004 on the Amendments to the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation

Amends additional note to Heading 02 (meat and edible meat offal) and the note to Heading 94 (furniture, lighting fittings, prefabricated buildings) of the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 883 of December 30, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Functioning of the Rescue Service for the Organisations Extracting (Processing) Coal (Pyroshale)

The rescue service is a multitude of the bodies of management, means and forces united functionally into a single system and intended for preventive works of emergency and fire protection of organisations extracting (processing) coal (pyroshale), as well as for emergency and urgent measures to save people, kill fires, eliminate consequences of explosions, unexpected exhausts of coal and gas, mine bounces, rock failures.

All organisations extracting (processing) coal (pyroshale) must have rescue services on obligatory basis to be provided by the paramilitary rescue units on the contractual basis.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 882 of December 30, 2004 on the Measures of Social Support for the Citizens Having Been Exposed to Radiation because of the Nuclear Tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Field

Specifies the procedure of paying out to the citizens having been exposed to radiation because of the nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Field with the total (accumulated) effective dose greater than 25 sSv (roentgen equivalent man) of the monthly monetary compensation for the purchase of foodstuffs in the amount of Rbl 200. The paying out of the monthly compensation begins with the month following the month of submission of the application through the organisations of the federal postal communication by mail transfers.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1761-r of December 31, 2004

The taxpayers making alcoholic products are ordered to sale from January 1, 2005 natural wines made on the territory of the Russian Federation (including the sparkling, carbonated ones) if labelled with only the special federal stamps.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 114n of December 10, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Directions on the Procedure of Application of the Budget Classification of the Russian Federation

Endorses the new Directions on the procedure of application of the Budget Classification of the Russian Federation. Invalidates the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia No. 127n of December 11, 2002 with amendments.

The Order is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

According to the Statement of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 07/12855-VYa of December 29, 2004, the Order does not need the state registration.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 904 of December 31, 2004 on the Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports

The Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports is a federal body of executive power in charge of the state policy, normative and legal regulation, rendering of state services (including the anti-doping measures) and the state property management in the sphere of physical culture and sports. The management of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports is vested in the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Decision lists the authority of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports, including the interim ones implemented before the adoption of the appropriate decisions of the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports may not implement control and enforcement functions except for the cases specified by the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation. The Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports may not impose restrictions pertaining to the rights and freedoms of citizens, rights of non-state commercial and non-commercial organisations except for the cases when opportunities of introduction of such restrictions are directly envisaged in the legislation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 903 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Delimitation of Obligations of Municipal Formations and the Drawing up of the Act of Transfer (Delimitation)

Specifies the grounds for the delimitation of obligations of municipal formations, procedure and time limits for the drawing up by the bodies of local government of the act of transfer (delimitation) for obligations of municipal formations emerging because of succession. The obligations of municipal formations emerging because of succession are implied to be the multitude of obligations included in the municipal debts in compliance with the budget legislation, as well as the payables of the budget-supported municipal institutions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 902 of December 31, 2004 on the Raising of the Tariff Rates (Salaries) of the Employees of the Federal State Institutions

From January 1, 2005, increases 1.2 times the amounts of tariff rates (salaries) of the employees of the federal state institutions. The increase does not apply to the employees of the military units and institutions subordinate to the federal bodies of executive power with the military or similar service (except for the Federal Customs Service of Russia and the Federal Migration Service of Russia).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 901 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Federal Agency for Tourism

The Federal Agency for Tourism is an authorised federal body of executive power in charge of the state policy, normative and legal regulation, rendering of state services and state property management in the sphere of tourism. The management of the Federal Agency for Tourism is vested in the Government of the Russian Federation.

Before the adoption of the special normative legal act, the Federal Agency for Tourism shall license tourist operator and tourist agency activities, as well as activities in the sale of the rights for club tourism.

Order of the Central Bank of Russia No. OD-906 of December 31, 204 on the Adjustment Coefficients of the Bank of Russia

In the calculation of the cost of the backing for the credits of the Bank of Russia, adjustment of the market cost of the bonds of the bond loans of the city of Moscow with the state registration numbers of issues RU27039MOS, RU25040MOS is done using the correction coefficient 0.8.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 158-T of December 31, 2004 on the Non-Application to the Authorised Banks of Enforcement Measures for the Violation of the Procedure of Drawing up and Submission of Reports

Only preventive measures shall apply to the authorised banks for the violation of the procedure of drawing up and submission of the reports for November, December 2004 and January 2005 according to Forms 0409664 "Report of the Currency Operations on the Bank Accounts of Clients in the Authorised Banks", 0409665 "Report of the Currency Operations Carried out with the Transaction Certificate", 0409667 "Report of the Entry and Return of the Reserved Amounts", as well as transaction certificates, bank control sheets, excerpts from the Register of Operations with Foreign Currencies in Cash and Cheques with amounts equal to or greater than Rbl 600,000 and information from the database on currency operations.

Telegram of the Central Bank of Russia No. 156-T of December 31, 2004

Specifies for the I quarter of 2005 the rouble equivalents of the registered capital for the created banks and non-bank credit organisations, as well as the rouble equivalents of own resources (capital) for the credit organisations requesting the general license and non-bank credit organisations requesting the status of a bank.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1603 of December 27, 2004 on the Procedure of Examination of Candidates for the Position of the Higher Official (Head of the Higher Executive Body of State Power) of the Subject of the Russian Federation

The candidates for the position of the higher official (head of the higher executive body of state power) of the subject of the Russian Federation are presented to the President of the Russian Federation by the head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. Candidates for the position of the higher official of the subject of the Russian Federation are suggested to the head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation by the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the appropriate federal district. When suggesting the candidates, their reputation, experience of public work, as well as the results of preliminary consultations with public associations of the appropriate subject of the Russian Federation are taken into account.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 19 of January 13, 2005 on the Rate of the Import Customs Duty for the Parts and Accessories for Balances

The rate of the import customs duty for the parts and accessories for balances (code according to the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 9016 00 900 0) earlier endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 138 of March 11, 2004 in the amount of 5% of the customs cost shall apply from January 16, 2005 on the permanent basis.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 04-1245/pz-n of December 15, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Activities in Organisation of Trade at the Securities Market

Endorses the Regulation specifying obligatory requirements to activities of professional participants of the securities market, including the stock exchanges, in organisation of trade at the securities market in the Russian Federation. Defines the procedure of providing access to tenders and their arrangement procedure, regulates the requirements to securities permitted for tenders. Specifies the particulars of the futures transactions committed at the stock exchanges. Trade organisers must control and monitor the committed transactions.

Provides a new procedure of disclosing, providing, storage and protection of information by trade organisers. Lists the requirements obligatory for the inclusion of the stocks and bonds in quotation lists A and B of the stock exchange.

Trade organisers (including the stock exchanges) must bring their activities in compliance with the requirements of the Regulation before July 15, 2005. Securities included in quotation lists as of January 1, 2005 must be excluded from the appropriate quotation lists after July 15, 2005 in cases of incompliance of securities or their issuer (management company of the shared investment fund) with the requirements envisaged in the Regulation.

The Order is entered into force from January 1, 2005 except for individual provisions where other time limits for the entry into force are specified.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 30, 2004. Reg. No. 6251.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 116n of December 16, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Registration by the Federal Treasury of Receipts in the Budget System of the Russian Federation and Their Distribution among the Budgets of the Budget System of the Russian Federation

Specifies uniform rules of registration of cash receipts in the budget system of the Russian Federation, as well as their distribution among the budgets of the budget system of the Russian Federation. Registration of receipts in the Russian currency and their distribution among the budgets of the budget system of the Russian Federation is arranged using accounts opened for the territorial bodies of the Treasury of Russia for the incomes distributed among the budgets; registration of receipts in foreign currencies is arranged using other accounts opened for the Treasury of Russia for the resources of the federal budget in foreign currencies.

The Order is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 22, 2004. Reg. No. 6227.

Operative Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 2-T of January 17, 2005 on the Transactions Committed with Persons Associated with the Bank and on Assessment of Their Pertinent Risks

Lists the measures recommended for inclusion in internal documents of the credit organisation on organisation of work to reduce the risk of losses and impairment of liquidity because of the transactions with the persons associated with the bank.

Territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia when qualifying the credit organisation according to the normative act of the Bank of Russia on assessment of financial stability of credit organisations will regard as a negative factor the absence or inefficiency of the bank risk management and assessment system when committing transactions with persons associated with the bank. This may affect the bank qualification in the appropriate category and classification group according to the financial standing.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. MM-6-26/4@ of January 12, 2005

The Agreement between the Governments of Russia and Belarus on the principles of collection of indirect taxes in the export and import of commodities, carrying out works, rendering services signed on September 15, 2004 is entered into force from January 1, 2005 and applies to commodities dispatched from January 1, 2005.

Letter of the Federal Customs Service No. 01-06/12890 of December 29, 2004 on the Customs Fees

Explains the procedure of application of Chapter 33.1 "Customs Fees" of the Customs Code entering into force from January 1, 2005.

Emphasises that in contrast to the previous regulation, the Federal Tax Service of Russia is not empowered with authority to reduce the rates of the customs fees for the customs registration and exempt from them. Thus, the legal acts of the State Customs Committee of Russia issued earlier (list provided) and pertaining to the rates of the customs fees for the customs registration and exemption from them are actually invalid from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 908 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the List of Codes of the Types of Foodstuffs and Commodities for Children Subject to the Value Added Tax at the Rate of 10%

Lists the codes of the types of foodstuffs according to the All-Russia Classifier of Products subject to the valued added tax at the rate of 10% at sale, as well as imported foodstuffs according to the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation subject to the value added tax at the rate of 10%.

Also lists the codes of the types of commodities for children subject to the value added tax at the mentioned rate at sale and import.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication, however, no sooner than the 1st of the subsequent tax period.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1533-U of December 22, 2004 on the Determination of the Cost of Property (Assets) and Liabilities of the Credit Organisation

Specifies the rules of estimation of the cost of property (assets) and liabilities of the credit organisation.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 17, 2005. Reg. No. 6259.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1529-U of December 16, 2004 on the Amendments to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 116-I of June 7, 2004 on the Types of Special Accounts of Residents and Non-Residents

Specifies that the residents can make payments and transfers without the use of special accounts when they get credits and loans in foreign currencies from non-residents if the period of return of the main amount of the debt under the appropriate credit or loan contract makes more than three years. There is no need to open special accounts also when the similar credits and loans are granted by residents to non-residents.

The special sections of the custody accounts of the residents are used to enter and write off external securities if they are transferred from the account other than the special section of the custody account of the resident opened in the same or another depository. The mentioned sections of the custody accounts are also used to enter and write off external securities when they are returned to the resident under unfulfilled (inappropriately fulfilled), discontinued contracts, as well as the external securities erroneously written off from the special section of the custody account of the resident of the same type. Similar rules are envisaged for non-residents.

There is a new provision stating that non-residents commit operations using pay cards and credit cards on the bank accounts in the currency of the Russian Federation according to the procedure specified by the Bank of Russia.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 17, 2005. Reg. No. 6258.

Decision of the Plenum of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 29 of December 15, 2004 on Some Issues of the Practice of Application of the Federal Law on Insolvency (Bankruptcy)

The review of the judicial practice pertains to application by arbitration courts of individual provisions of the Federal Law No. 127-FZ of October 26, 2002 on insolvency (bankruptcy). Explains, in particular, that arrest of the debtor property, as well as other debtor restrictions of the disposal of his property may only be applied under the ruling of the arbitration court processing the debtor bankruptcy case.

The claims of the tax, customs and other bodies authorised to collect appropriate amounts of payments pertaining to obligatory payments emerging after the adoption of the application to recognise the debtor bankrupt and before the opening of the bankruptcy proceedings, as well as to obligatory payments with the deadline of execution occurring after the introduction of the appropriate bankruptcy proceedings (current payments) shall be satisfied outside the framework of the bankruptcy proceedings.

The Decision also explains the particulars of application by the courts of the law norms pertaining to the legal status of the mortgage creditors in cases of debtor bankruptcy, as well as to the monitoring, financial rehabilitation, external management, bankruptcy proceedings, accord and satisfaction and the simplified bankruptcy proceedings.

Information Letter of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 88 of December 30, 2004 on Some Issues Pertaining to Endorsement and Dismissal of Bankruptcy Commissioners

The general reason of dismissal of bankruptcy commissioners is the failure to execute or improper execution of the duties vested in the bankruptcy commissioner in compliance with the Law on bankruptcy, as well as the rules of processional activities of the bankruptcy commissioner specified by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Before the self-regulating organisation of bankruptcy commissioners is on the Register of Self-Regulating Organisations of Bankruptcy Commissions, its members may be endorsed for the bankruptcy proceedings.

Information Letter of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 87 of December 30, 2004 on Some Issues of Examination by Arbitration Courts of Cases of Transfer of the Amounts of Trade-Union Member Fees to Trade-Unions by Employers from the Employee Earnings

Disputes between the trade-union organisations and employers pertaining to the transfer on the account of trade-union organisations of the amounts of trade-union member fees from the employee earnings must be processed according to the common rules of claims proceedings including the cases of initiation of the insolvency (bankruptcy) proceedings against the employer.

Information Letter of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 86 of December 30, 2004 on the Legal Status of the Bankruptcy Creditors and Authorised Bodies Having Presented Their Claims after the Closing of the Creditor Claims Register

Explains the particulars of processing by the arbitration court of the application of the bankruptcy creditor or authorised body having presented their claims after the closing of the creditor claims register on the ineligibility of the meeting of creditors and invalidation of the decision of this meeting. Emphasises that the meeting of creditors is eligible if the bankruptcy creditors and authorised bodies included in the creditor claims register were present and possessed more than half of the total votes. The bankruptcy creditors and authorised bodies having presented their claims after the closing of the creditor claims register may not vote at the meeting of creditors. However, if the claims are presented by all bankruptcy creditors and authorised bodies after the closing of the creditor claims register, the mentioned persons may take decisions in the sphere of reference of the meeting of creditors.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 27 of January 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Processing of Requests for the Right of Use of Subsoil Resources, When the Mineral Deposits Are Discovered by the User of Subsoil Resources Having Carried out Geological Survey Works to Investigate the Subsoil Reserves in Internal Sea Waters, Territorial Sea and on the Continental Shelf of the Russian Federation at the Expense of Own (Including the Attracted) Resources, for the Purposes of Prospecting and Extraction of the Mineral Resources of Such Deposit

The right of use of the parts of subsoil resources for the purpose of prospecting and extraction of mineral resources, when the mineral deposits are discovered by the user of subsoil resources having carried out geological survey works to investigate the subsoil reserves in internal sea waters, territorial sea and on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation at the expense of own (including the attracted) resources and having redeemed, in case of their presence, the state expenses for the investigation and assessment of the mineral resources at the given location, emerges on the basis of the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation. The Decision lists the documents submitted by the applicant to the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources together with the request. The packet of documents must be processed within 30 days from the day of official reception of the documents. The mentioned time limit may be prolonged however, not more than to 60 days with the applicant being formed of it .

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 26 of January 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Export Customs Duty for Raw Oil and Raw Oil Products from Bituminous Materials 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 and raw oil products from bituminous materials (code according to the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2709 00) is reduced from USD 101 to USD 83 per ton.

The Decision is entered into force from February 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 25 of January 18, 2005 on the Rates of the Import Customs Duties for Certain Types of Mountings, Fittings, Hinges and Furniture Wheels

The import rates for certain types of mountings, fittings, hinges and furniture wheels (codes according to the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 3926 30 000 0, 8302 10 900 0, 8302 20 900 0) earlier endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 147 of March 18, 2004 in the amount of 10% of the customs cost shall apply from January 23, 2005 on the permanent basis.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 24 of January 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Import Customs Duty for Synthetic Organic Products Used as Optical Bleaching Agents

Endorses for 9 months the rate of the import customs duty for synthetic organic products used as optical bleaching agents (code according to the Foreign-Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 3204 20 000 0) in the amount of 10%, however, not less than EUR 0.2 per kg (earlier, 5% of the customs cost).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 317 of December 20, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Keeping of the Special Segment of the Federal Register of Persons Entitled for the State Social Aid

Defines the procedure of building and keeping of the special segment of the Federal Register of Persons Entitled for the State Social Aid for the persons undergoing military or similar service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Federal Security Service, Federal Guard Service, Foreign Intelligence Service, Federal Service of Execution of Punishments and the Ministry of Emergency Situations except for the participants and invalids of the Great Patriotic War. Each federal body of executive power envisaging military or similar service shall build and keep its (own) segment of the register according to the procedure specified by this body.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 31, 2004. Reg. No. 6257.

Decision of the Chief Sanitary Physician of the Russian Federation No. 2 of January 19, 2005 on the Enhancing of Supervision of Drinks Containing Tonic Components

The chiefs of administrations of the subjects of the Russian Federation are recommended to prevent the sale of light-alcoholic energy drinks in large gatherings of teenagers (dancings, night clubs etc.), as well as to exclude these drinks form the list of school meals.

Producers of energy drinks are recommended to use only vegetal extracts of caffeine with concentrations up to 400 mg per litre in energy drinks and the tonic component from permitted medicinal plants up to ? of the single dose of treatment per litre. Besides, the label should contain the following record: "Not Recommended for Use by Children up to 18 Years of Age, Expectant and Nursing Mothers, the Elderly, As Well As the Persons Suffering from Excessive Excitation, Sleeping and Cardiac Disorders, Hypertension".

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 06-31-1/5399 of December 17, 2004 on the Name of the Sole Executive Body of the Credit Organisation

The use in the name of the sole executive body of the credit organisation of the word "president" is not in violation of the legislation on economic companies and banking activities.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 35 of January 21, 2005 on the Amounts of the State Duty for the Actions Committed by the Authorised State Institutions in the Federal Assay Enforcement

As compared to 1999, increases the rates of the state duties for the trial, stamping, expert evaluation of precious metals, precious and ornamental stones, jewellery and other household items, as well as for the analysis of materials containing precious metals.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication and applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 30 of January 19, 2005 on the Typical Rules of Interaction of the Federal Bodies of Executive Power

Specifies the general rules of organisation of activities of the federal bodies of executive power in implementation of their authority and interaction of these bodies, including the rules of organisation of interaction of the federal ministries with their supervised federal services and federal agencies.

The federal bodies of executive power are ordered to work out and endorse their rules before March 1, 2005.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1544-U of January 13, 2005 on the Amendments to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 108-I of December 1, 2003 on the Organisation of Inspection Activities of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia)

Specifies the legal grounds for the participation in the bank checks of the employees of the Deposit Insurance Agency. Suggestions of the Deposit Insurance Agency are accepted to build the summary annual plan of complex and thematic checks of credit organisations and their branches beside the decisions and suggestions of the officials forming the structure of the Bank of Russia. Agency suggestions shall also serve as new, additional grounds for arranging extraordinary checks of credit organisations (their branches).

The checks of fulfilment by credit organisations of the normatives of obligatory reserves are arranged simultaneously with the check of correctness of registration of obligations on the accounts in the branches of the credit organisation. The decision to arrange an extraordinary check is taken also when there are reasons for the territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia to control the legality of payment for the stocks (shares) of the credit organisation by the buyers.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. ShS-6-10/8@ of January 14, 2005 on the Execution by the Banks of the Payment Documents Adopted before January 1, 2005

The payment documents of the bank clients for the transfer of taxes, fees and other payments to the budget system of the Russian Federation drawn up before January 1, 2005 and available in the card index "outstanding payment documents" must be executed by credit organisations according to the commonly accepted procedure and do not need redrawing.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 60 of January 22, 2005 on the Increase of the Salary for the Occupied Position for the Judges in the Russian Federation

From January 1, 2005 increases 1.2 times the salaries for the occupied position for the judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and other federal judges of general jurisdiction, Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation and other federal arbitration courts, as well as the justices of the peace of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 36 of January 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Working out, Endorsement and Entry into Force of the State Standards of the Primary Professional, Secondary Professional, Higher Professional and Post-Graduate Professional Education

The state standards of professional education include the federal and regional (nationality regional) components, as well as the component of the educational institution (organisation). The state standards of professional education shall be endorsed at least once in 10 years.

The standards are worked out taking into account the actual and perspective requirements of development of science, culture, technology, economic and social sphere while attracting the interested federal bodies of executive power, state and public associations working in the sphere of professional education and involving employers or associations of employers, as well as representatives of scientific communities.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 8-T of January 19, 2005 on the Information Recommended for Placing on the Internet Web Sites of Credit Organisations

Credit organisations are recommended to place on their web sites information on the inclusion of the credit organisation in the register of banks registered in the system of obligatory insurance of the deposits of natural persons and on the exclusion from the mentioned register. Besides, it is recommended to place contact details (postal address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address) of the territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia supervising the activities of the credit organisation and its branches.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 04-1244/pz-n of December 15, 2004 on the Procedure of Publication and Entry into Force of the Orders of the Federal Service for Financial Markets Recognised by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation As Not Needing the State Registration

The orders of the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia recognised by the Ministry of Justice of Russia as not needing the state registration are entered into force from the moment of their signing if the orders themselves do not specify another period and procedure of entry into force. The mentioned acts must be published in the information bulletin "Herald of the Federal Service for Financial Markets".

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6266.

Information Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 30 of December 31, 2004

Provides a summary of the practice of application of individual normative acts of the Bank of Russia on currency regulation and currency control.

When the information on the operations of the resident in the payments with the authorised bank is entered by the authorities bank in the electronic database on currency operations, responsibility for the correctness of entry of the code of the currency operation rests with the authorised bank.

Explains that in the payments between the residents and non-residents under the lease contracts for the movable property and transport vehicles qualified as immovable items, when the mentioned property is moved across the border of the Russian Federation, the transaction certificate must be drawn up. The transaction certificate must also be drawn up by the resident when he concludes a contract of insurance (re-insurance) with a non-resident.

The authorised bank may not refuse to sign the transaction certificate for the contract even if the resident has violated the coordinated time limit for submission of the documents to the bank to draw up the transaction certificate.

The Letter specifies that the 7-day time limit for the obligatory sale of the part of the currency receipts does not include the 2 working days necessary for the authorised bank to deposit the foreign currencies. The day of the beginning of the 7-day time limit of the obligatory sale of the part of the currency receipts for the resident is considered to be the following day after the currency is received on the bank account of the resident in the authorised bank.

The monetary resources in foreign currencies received from the non-resident on the bank account of the resident in the authorised bank as a return of the advance payment earlier transferred by the resident from his current currency account in the authorised bank in favour of the non-resident under the contract concluded between them (including the lease contract) in payment of the fines, as donations for charitable purposes, as well as the monetary resources in foreign currencies received as incomes from operations with securities should not be regarded as an object of obligatory sale, since in the given case there is no transfer of commodities, carrying out of works, rendering of services, transfer of information and results of intellectual activities, including the exclusive rights for them.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-06-01-02/02 of January 18, 2005

Explains that there are no reasons to endorse for the year 2005 a new tax declaration for the property tax from organisations and its filling instruction. One should continue to use the form of the tax declaration for the property tax from organisations (tax estimate for advance payments) endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. SAE-3-21/224 of March 23, 2004. In this case, the tax bodies, when making the blank forms of the mentioned declaration, are recommended to increase the digits to twenty for the figure "Code of the Budget Classification" in Section 1 "Amount of Tax (Amount of Advance Payment for the Tax) Due for Transfer to the Budget According to Taxpayer Information".

Order of the Federal Service for Tariff Rates No. 236-e of December 7, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Coordination of the Decisions of the Bodies of Executive Power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation in the Sphere of State Regulation of Tariff Rates on the Tariff Rates Exceeding the Limiting Level Specified by the Federal Body of Executive Power in the Sphere of State Regulation of Tariff Rates

Defines the procedure of examination of issues pertaining to coordination of the decisions of the bodies of executive power of the subjects of the Russian Federation in the sphere of state regulation of tariff rates exceeding the limiting level of tariff rates for electric and thermal power specified by the federal body of executive power in the sphere of the state regulation of tariff rates.

The grounds for the examination of the issue of coordination of the decision is the official application of the body of executive power of the subject of the Russian Federation in the sphere of the state regulation of tariff rates on the applicant letterhead sent to the Federal Service for Tariff Rates of Russia.

The Decision, upon examination of the application, is taken by the Federal Service for Tariff Rates of Russia no later than within 30 calendar days from the day of accepting it for consideration. The Order lists the cases when the application is being processed in the absence of the applicant representatives.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6264.

Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 111 of December 22, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Estimate Sheet for the Resources of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation (Form 4-FSS RF)

Endorses the new form of the estimate sheet for the resources of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation (Form 4-FSS RF). The form applies beginning with the report for the I quarter of 2005.

Invalidates Form 4-FSS RF endorsed by the Decision of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 130 of December 1, 2003.

According to the Statement of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 01/80-VYA of January 13, 2005, the Decision does not need the state registration.

Letter of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 02-18/07-81 of January 12, 2005 on the Calculation of the Maternity Allowances

Before the adoption of the special legislative acts, the maternity allowance is paid out in the amount of the average earnings regardless of the length of uninterrupted service taking into account the specified limiting amount of the allowance.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 40 of January 26, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Ministry of the Regional Development of the Russian Federation and on the Amendments to Some of the Acts of the Government of the Russian Federation

The Ministry of the Regional Development of the Russian Federation is a federal body of executive power in charge of the working out of the state policy and the normative-and-legal regulation in the sphere of socio-economic development of the subjects of the Russian Federation and municipal formations, including the regions of the Far North and Arctic, administrative and territorial arrangement of the Russian Federation, delimitation of authority in the common sphere of reference of the federal and regional bodies of executive power, as well as the sphere of construction, architecture, city planning (except for the state technical registration and inventory taking of the objects of the city-planning activities) and the housing and communal sector, state nationality policy and inter-nationality relations, as well as protection of the rights of national minorities and the native small peoples. The Ministry of the Regional Development shall coordinate and control the Federal Agency for Construction and the Housi ng and Communal Sector supervised by it.

The Ministry of the Regional Development of Russia shall endorse, in particular, the federal city-planning normatives and rules in the sphere of city planning, design works and engineering surveys in the sphere of city planning, specify the procedure of working out, coordination, expert evaluation and endorsement of the city-planning documentation, methods of calculation of prices for the services in the maintenance and repair of the dwelling space, for the leasing of the dwelling space, as well as the tariff rates for communal services.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 38 of January 26, 2005 on the Service and Civil Arms, Cartridges for Them and Special Means Provided to the Employees of Organisations of the Federal Postal Communication

Provides the norms of arms and cartridges for them provided to the employees of organisations of the federal postal communication entitled to carry and use service and civil arms when fulfilling the tasks of guarding of postal dispatches and money, as well as the special means.

Provides the list of the types and models of service and civil arms, cartridges for them and special means to outfit the organisations of the federal postal communication.

Information Letter of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 89 of January 20, 2005 on Some Issues of Processing of Cases According to the Simplified Procedure

Explains individual issues of application by arbitration courts of Chapter 29 of the Code of Administrative Procedures of the Russian Federation "Processing of Cases According to the Simplified Procedure". The given chapter permits arbitration courts to process the cases of proprietary claims emerging in civil, as well as administrative and other public legal relations. Taking into account the particulars of processing of the cases according to the simplified procedure, including the reduced time of their processing, the issue of implementation of particular actions while preparing the case for the court proceedings is solved by the judge. Therefore, the preliminary court hearing for such cases may be avoided. If necessary, the preliminary preparation of the case may occur without the summoning of the parties.

General Agreement between All-Russia Associations of Trade-Unions, All-Russia Associations of Employers and the Government of the Russian Federation for the Years 2005-2007 (Moscow, December 29, 2004)

The Agreement specifies general principles of regulation of social and labour relations at the federal level for the years 2005-2007 and the joint actions of the parties in their implementation.

One of the goals of the Agreement is prevention of the growth of the total unemployment in excess of 7.9% in 2005 and 2006 and 7.8% in 2007.

In the protocol of divergence over the need to bring the minimum amount of labour remuneration to the cost of living of the able-bodied population, the Russian Trilateral Commission representing all-Russia associations of trade-unions suggested to ensure a stepwise equalisation having fixed the minimum amount of labour remuneration from January 1, 2005 at the level of Rbl 720 per month, Rbl 1,100 per month from May 1, 2006, Rbl 2,000 per month from January 1, 2006 and not lower than the cost of living from January 1, 2008. The Government of the Russian Federation suggested the minimum amount of labour remuneration in 2006 not lower than Rbl 1,100 per month.

Uniform Recommendations for the Systems of Labour Remuneration of Employees of Organisations Financed from the Budgets at the Federal, Regional and Local Levels for the Year 2005 (Endorsed by the Decision of the Russian Trilateral Commission for the Regulation of the Social and Labour Relations of December 29, 2004, Protocol 4)

The recommendations for the terms of labour remuneration of the employees of budget-supported institutions serve as basis for the development of the appropriate recommendations by trilateral commissions for the regulation of labour relations of the subjects of the Russian Federation and municipal formations in organisation of labour remuneration of the employees of the budget-supported sphere, as well as in the determination of the amounts of financing of institutions of public health, education, science, culture and other institutions of the budget-supported sphere at various levels of management. In 2005, it is recommended to apply the tariff system of labour remuneration of the employees of the budget-supported sphere using the Uniform Tariff while preserving the 18 grades and the actual inter-grade tariff coefficients specifying the correlation of the rates of the 1st and the 18th grades as 1:4.5.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 312 of December 9, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Calculation and Confirmation of the Length of State Service Permitting to Get the Length-of-Service Pension for the Federal State Servants and Determine the Compliance of Positions Permitting to Include the Periods of Service (Work) in the Length of State Service

The procedure regulates the issues pertaining to the calculation of the length of state service permitting to get the length-of-service pension for the federal state servants, confirmation of this length of service, determination of compliance of positions, inclusion in the length of state service permitting to get the length-of-service pension of the periods of work in individual positions including the terms of service in them.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6270.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 42 of January 27, 2005 on the Increase of the Salary for the Occupied Position for the Employees of the Prosecutor's Staff of the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation

From January 1, 2005 increases 1.2 times salaries for the occupied position for the employees of the prosecutor's staff of the prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 41 of January 27, 2005 on the Labour Remuneration for the Persons Attracted for the Expert Evaluation of Scientific, Creative Works and Literary Pieces of the Nominees for the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the Sphere of Science and Technologies and the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the Sphere of Literature and Arts

Specifies amounts of labour remuneration for each expert evaluation of scientific, creative works and literary pieces of the nominees for the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the sphere of science and technologies and in the sphere of literature and arts to the leading organisations in the appropriate sphere or individual experts out of outstanding scientists, figures of culture, literature and arts. Thus, labour remuneration for the expert evaluation of scientific works in the sphere of science and technologies amounts to Rbl 6,000, for the expert evaluation of creative works in the sphere of arts and for the expert evaluation of literary pieces, to Rbl 5,000.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1538-U of December 28, 2004 on the Simultaneous Investigation of Investments of the Authorised Banks and Their Resident Clients (Other Than Credit Organisations) in Securities Issued by Non-Residents as of January 1, 2005

Endorses Form 0409404 "Information on Investments of the Authorised Banks and Their Resident Clients (Other Than Credit Organisations) in Securities Issued by Non-Residents as of January 1, 2005" and the procedure of its drawing up and submission. Authorised banks shall submit to the territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia information drawn up according to the mentioned form no later than February 25, 2005.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6267.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 1-P of February 1, 2005 on the Case of Constitutionality of Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Item 2 of Article 3 and Item 6 of Article 47 of the Federal Law on Political Parties Pursuant to the Appeal of the Public Political Organisation Baltic Republican Party

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation the provisions of Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 3 of the Federal Law on political parties (in the wording of March 21, 2002) stating that a political party must have regional divisions in more than half of the subjects of the Russian Federation and must number at least 10,000 members.

Also recognised as complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation the provisions of Item 6 of Article 47 of the mentioned Federal Law regulating the consequences of the changing of the status of interregional, regional and local political public associations failing to meet the requirements of political parties.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 43 of January 28, 2005 on the Procedure of Work with the Projects Implemented by the Russian Federation with Participation of International Financial Organisations

Specifies the procedure of selection, preparation and implementation of the projects implemented by the Russian Federation with participation of international financial organisations created under international treaties, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, the Nordic Investment Bank and other development banks. The project is initiated by the federal body of executive power by submitting a request and the project concept to the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia and the Ministry of Finance of Russia. The Government of the Russian Federation shall examine and approve on the basis of proposals submitted by the project initiator and the statements of the mentioned ministries the proposals to prepare the project, sources of its financing (including the project preparation expenses), time limits of the beginning of implementation of the project and the executor/co-executor of the project.

The project is implemented by the executor in compliance with the agreement with the international financial organisation, decisions of the Government of the Russian Federation, as well as the contracts envisaged in the agreement with the international financial organisation.

Order of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 456 of December 30, 2004 on the Amounts and Procedure of Providing Draft Servicemen with Monetary Resources for the Travel on All Types of Public Transport of Urban, Suburban and Local Transportation (Except for the Taxi)

From January 1, 2005, the draft soldiers, sergeants and sergeant majors, as well as the students of the military institutions of professional education, before they conclude the first contract for the military service, shall get monetary payments from Rbl 70 to Rbl 200 for the travel on all types of public transport of urban, suburban and local transportation (except for the taxi).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6279.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1532-U of December 21, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Program of Training of Bankruptcy Commissioners

Endorses the program of training of bankruptcy commissioners to provide for the uniform thematical content of their training for the cases of bankruptcy of credit organisations.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia. The text of the Direction has been published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia on February 2, 2005, No. 5.

According to the Letter of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 01/287-VYA of January 19, 2005, the Direction does not need the state registration.

Methodology Recommendations to Enhance Control over Operations of Purchase of Securities by Natural Persons for Cash and Purchase and Sale of Foreign Currencies in Cash (Endorsed by the Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 12-T of January 21, 2005)

Provides examples of a number of transactions permitting to suggest avoidance of procedures of obligatory control, which serves as grounds to register the information in the documentary form. Such transactions must be qualified by credit organisations as increased-risk operations. Information on them must be sent to the authorised body in charge of the combating of the laundering (legalisation) of incomes obtained in a criminal way.

Letter of the Federal Agency for Construction and the Housing and Communal Sector No. YuT-260/06 of January 31, 2005 on the Procedure of Application of the Normatives of Overhead Expenses in Construction

Explains the procedure of adjustment of the normatives of overhead expenses in construction pursuant to the reduction from January 1, 2005 of the maximum rate of the uniform social tax. The normatives of overhead expenses specified in MDS 81-33.2004 and MDS 81-34.2004 should be applied using coefficient 0.94 (except for organisations using the simplified system of taxation envisaging another procedure of application of overhead expenses).

Federal Law No. 1-FZ of February 1, 2005 on the Amendments to the Criminal Execution Code of the Russian Federation

The sphere of reference of the criminal execution inspections does not include now application of incentive measures and punishments to the persons sentenced to corrective labour, as well as specifying the duties and prohibitions having been envisaged in the earlier invalidated Article 41 of the Criminal Execution Code of the Russian Federation.

The Law specifies the duty of the persons sentenced to corrective labour to appear in the criminal execution inspection when summoned.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 110 of February 1, 2005 on the Certification of the State Civil Servants of the Russian Federation

Defines the procedure of certification of the state civil servants of the Russian Federation occupying positions of the state civil service of the Russian Federation in the federal state body, state body of the subject of the Russian Federation or their offices. The certification is arranged to determine the civil servant compliance with the occupied position of the civil service on the basis of assessment of his professional service activities. The certification is carried out once in three years. An extraordinary certification of the civil servant may be arranged before the expiry of the three years after the previous certification. The Decree lists the categories of servants exempted from the certification.

The Decree is entered into force from February 1, 2005.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 167 of October 19, 2004 on the Certificate of the Citizen Undergoing Alternative Civil Service and the Registration Card of the Citizen Undergoing Alternative Civil Service

Endorses the forms of the documents confirming the passing of the alternative civil service by citizens. Provides the specimen of the certificate and the form of the registration card of the citizen undergoing alternative civil service, their description and procedure of filling, issue and registration.

The issue of the mentioned documents is vested in the military commissariats sending the citizens to the place of alternative civil service.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6290.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1542-U of January 13, 2005 on the Particulars of Carrying out of the Bank Checks Involving the Employees of the State Corporation Deposit Insurance Agency

The Direction applies to the banks included in the register of banks participating in the system of obligatory insurance of deposits. Specifies the procedure of attracting by the Bank of Russia of the agency employees for participation in the bank checks, lists the rights and duties of the agency employees, defines the duties of the bank in the course of the check.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6285.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1543-U of January 13, 2005 on the Amendments to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 105-I of August 25, 2003 on the Procedure of Carrying out of the Checks of Credit Organisations (Their Branches) by Authorised Representatives of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation

Specifies the particulars of carrying out of the checks of organisation of work, committing and registration of individual types of bank operations and other transactions with the currency of the Russian Federation, cheques (including the traveller's cheques) in foreign currencies involving natural persons in the authorised banks (their branches). The preliminary notification of the check of the credit organisation (its branch), the results being recorded in the summary act of the check, shall include the list of the branches (representations) and/or internal structural divisions of the credit organisation (its branch) outside their place of location to be included in the summary act of the check.

Specifies the legal grounds for participation in the bank checks of the employees of the Deposit Insurance Agency.

Provides the new wording for the Forms "Order to Arrange a Check of the Credit Organisation (Its Branch)", "Supplement to the Order to Arrange a Check of the Credit Organisation (Its Branch)".

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6284.

Order of the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Control over Circulation of Narcotics No. 396 of December 28, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure of Paying out of the Lumpsum Monetary Award for the Conscientious Execution of Official Duties at the End of the Calendar Year to Employees of the Budget-Supported Sphere of the Bodies in Charge of Control over Circulation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

Employees of the budget-supported sphere getting labour remuneration on the basis of the Uniform Tariff Schedule, Federal Service of Russia for Control over Circulation of Narcotics, its territorial bodies and organisations shall get lumpsum monetary award for the conscientious execution of official duties at the end of the calendar year. The amount of the award paid out to a single employee may not be greater than two monthly salaries for the occupied position (tariff rates) actually specified for him proceeding from the main position as of December 31 of the calendar year for which the award is being paid out. The paying out of the award is arranged during the first six months of the year following the expired calendar year.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6283.

Order of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 395 of December 9, 2004 on the Procedure of Providing Stamped Postal Envelopes to Draft Servicemen, Sending Postal Dispatches with Personal Belongings of Draft Servicemen, Return of Postal Dispatches for Them, Planning and Spending of Monetary Resources for These Purposes

Specifies the mechanism of implementation of the right of draft servicemen (sergeants, sergeantmajors, draft soldiers and sailors, students of institutions of the military professional education before concluding a contract with them) for the sending of simple letters and parcels with personal belongings. The sending of letters and parcels is arranged at the expense of resources allocated for these purposes by the Ministry of Defence of Russia.

The Instruction endorsed by the Order is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6282.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 866 of December 27, 2004 on the Paying out to Servicemen of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of the Monthly Supplement for the Complexity, Stressful Nature and Special Regime of the Military Service

From January 1, 2005, contract servicemen of the troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia shall get on a differentiated basis depending on the composition of servicemen and service locale monthly supplement for the complexity, stressful nature and special regime of the military service in the amount of up to 120% of the salary for the occupied military position.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6281.

Regulation of the Central Bank of Russia No. 265-P of December 14, 2004 on the Accreditation of Bankruptcy Commissioners with the Bank of Russia for the Cases of Bankruptcy of Credit Organisations

Defines the procedure of accreditation of bankruptcy commissioners with the Bank of Russia for the cases of bankruptcy of credit organisations failing to acquire the license of the Bank of Russia for the attraction of the monetary resources of natural persons in deposits. The given procedure includes the procedure of examination of applications of bankruptcy commissioners, as well as the procedure of drawing up and issue of certificates of accreditation, prolongation of accreditation, revocation of accreditation, redrawing and issue of the copies of certificates of accreditation, termination of certificates of accreditation.

The Regulation is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6280.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1546-U of January 24, 2005 on the Procedure of Submission by Credit Organisations to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation of Reports in the Form of Electronic Messages with Authentification Codes

Specifies the procedure of submission to the Bank of Russia by credit organisations (their branches), parent credit organisations of the bank (consolidated) groups of reports in the form of electronic messages with authentification codes.

The Direction is entered into force from July 1, 2005.

Sent for the state registration to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Letter of the Department of the Tax and Customs Tariff Policy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-05-02-04/2 of January 17, 2005 on the Application of the Tax Exemption in the Calculation of the Uniform Social Tax

Explains that the accrued amount of the uniform social tax due for payment to the federal budget at the maximum rate of 20% may be exempted from the amount of insurance contributions calculated at the maximum tariff rate of 14% in full amount.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of February 3, 2005 on the Case of Constitutionality of Provisions of Article 4 and Part 2 of Article 9 of the Federal Law on the Plant Quarantine Pursuant to the Request of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnodar Territory

According to the applicant, provisions of Article 4 of the Federal Law on the plant quarantine introduce exclusive authority of the Russian Federation to provide for the plant quarantine measures thus violating the constitutional right of the Krasnodar Territory as a subject of the Russian Federation in the given common sphere of reference of the Russian Federation and its subjects affecting the implementation of the state enforcement of plant quarantine measures on its territory.

The applicant also challenged the provisions of Part 2 of Article 9 of the mentioned Law prohibiting the import to the territory of the Russian Federation of the products covered by quarantine measurers (except for the cases envisaged in the plant quarantine rules and norms) infected with quarantine objects if the plant quarantine rules and norms are violated at import. According to the applicant, such wording permits to introduce an exception from the general rule in a subordinate act.

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation emphasised that the challenged provisions of Article 4 specify particular authority of the Russian Federation to provide for plant quarantine. The right of the federal legislator to introduce such authority, both in the sphere of reference of the Russian Federation and in the common sphere of reference of the Russian Federation and its subjects, is implied directly in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, Article 76 (Part 2) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation permits the subjects of the Russian Federation to adopt own laws and other normative legal acts in compliance with the federal laws. The given constitutional provision is recorded in Article 3 of the Law on the plant quarantine which includes in the legislation of the Russian Federation on plant quarantine together with the acts of the federal level also the normative legal acts of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

The provision of Part 2 of Article 9 "except for the cases envisaged in the plant quarantine rules and norms" is a direct norm of the federal law. The given norm suggests that appropriate rules and norms must be specified in the federal law.

Proceeding from the above, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation provisions of Article 4 and Part 2 of Article 9 of the Federal Law on the plant quarantine.

The Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation is entered into force immediately after annunciation.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 116 of February 2, 2005 on Some of the Acts of the President of the Russian Federation Being Brought in Compliance with the Federal Law on Insolvency (Bankruptcy)

Individual acts of the President of the Russian Federation regulating the issues of insolvency (bankruptcy) are invalidated from the day of official publication of the Decree. Being invalidated are, in particular, the Decrees of the President of the Russian Federation No. 471 of April 21, 1993 on additional measures to protect labour rights of the citizens of the Russian Federation, No. 1114 of June 2, 1994 on the sale of the debtor state enterprises, No. 1210 of August 18, 1996 on the measures to protect the rights of stock-holders and ensure the interests of the state as a proprietor and stock-holder and a number of other.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 113 of February 1, 2005 on the Procedure of Assigning and Preservation of the Class Grades of the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation to the Federal State Servants

Defines the procedure of assigning and preservation of the class grades of the state civil service of the Russian Federation for the federal state servants. The class grade may be the first one or subsequent. The first class grade of the civil service is assigned to the federal civil servant if he does not have one. In this case, the class grade of another type of state service, diplomatic rank, military or special grade having been assigned to the federal civil servant at the previous place of state service of the Russian Federation is taken into account. The subsequent class grade is assigned to the federal state servant upon expiry of the time limit specified for the civil service in the previous class grade under the condition that he occupies a position of the civil service permitting to get a class grade equal to or higher than that class grade assigned to the federal state servant.

The earlier assigned qualification grades to the federal state servants in compliance with the Decree of the President No. 578 of April 22, 1996 are considered to be corresponding to the class grades of the state civil service of the Russian Federation (a table of correspondence is provided).

From the day of assigning to the federal state civil servant of the class grade of the state civil service of the Russian Federation, he is entitled for the monthly salary in compliance with the assigned class grade (salary for the class grade).

The Decree is entered into force February 1, 2005 with exceptions.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 112 of February 1, 2005 on the Contest for the Vacant Position of the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation

Defines the procedure and terms of arranging of the contest for the vacant position of the state civil service of the Russian Federation in the federal state body, state body of the subject of the Russian Federation or their offices. The contest provides for the implementation of the right of the citizens of the Russian Federation for an equal access to the state service, as well as the right of the state civil servants for promotion on a contest basis.

The Decree lists the cases when the contest is not arranged (for example, when concluding a fixed-term service contract).

The Decree is entered into force from February 1, 2005.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 111 of February 1, 2005 on the Procedure of Passing of the Qualification Examination by the State Civil Servants of the Russian Federation and Assessment of Their Knowledge and Skills (Professional Level)

Defines the procedure of passing of the qualification examination by the state civil servants of the Russian Federation occupying positions of the state civil service of the Russian Federation in the federal state body, state body of the subject of the Russian Federation or their offices, as well as the procedure of assessment of the knowledge and skills (professional level) of civil servants. The qualification examination is taken by the civil servants occupying without restriction of the period of authority positions of the civil service of categories "specialists" and "supporting specialists", as well as positions of the civil service of the category "heads" included in the chief and leading groups of positions of the civil service.

The qualification examination is arranged as soon as necessary, however, not more than once a year and not less than once in three years.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 7 of January 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Directorate of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the Federal District and the List of Directorates of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the Federal Districts

The directorate of the Ministry of Justice of Russia is a territorial body of the Ministry of Justice of Russia providing for the implementation in the federal district of the worked out state policy in the specified sphere of activities, as well as the sphere of execution of criminal punishments, advocacy and notary activities, providing for the specified procedure of work of the courts and execution of judicial acts and the acts of other bodies, registration of the rights for immovable property and transactions with it, registration of public associations, religious organisations and political parties, as well as coordination and control of activities of the territorial bodies of the Federal Service of Execution of Punishments, Federal Registration Service, Federal Bailiff Service subordinate to the Ministry of Justice of Russia.

The Order lists directorates of the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the federal districts.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on January 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6275.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 3n of January 20, 2005 on the Stamping of Marks by the Tax Bodies on Invoices and Applications for the Import of Commodities and Payment of Indirect Taxes

Introduces uniform rules of stamping of marks by the tax bodies on invoices drawn up by the Russian sellers of commodities for the Belarus buyers when exporting the commodities to the Republic of Belarus. The marks must be entered no later than within 5 working days from the date of submission of the necessary documents to the tax body by putting the stamp "Registered" on each invoice indicating the date of the registration and the registration number certified with the signature of the official of the tax body having entered the mark.

Also endorses the procedure of entry of marks by the tax bodies on the applications submitted by taxpayers for the import of commodities and payment of indirect taxes confirming the payment of indirect taxes in full amount (available exemptions for the commodities in compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation when imported to the Russian Federation).

The Order applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2005.

The Order is sent for registration to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 17-T of January 26, 2005 on the Enhancing of Control over Operations with Monetary Resources in Cash

Provides a sample scheme and specific signs of operations of getting of monetary resources in cash from the account (deposit) permitting to suggest legalisation (laundering) of incomes obtained in a criminal way or financing of terrorism. The final goal of such operations is getting large amounts of cash in roubles or foreign currencies by natural persons (residents and non-residents) from their accounts opened in the Russian credit organisations.

Such operations are qualified as increased-risk operations and credit organisations must pay special attention to them. When the mentioned operations are suspected to be committed for the purpose of legalisation (laundering) of incomes obtained in a criminal way or financing of terrorism, credit organisations shall take the decision to send information on them to the authorised body.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-02-07/2-4 of January 14, 2005

Lists information to be presented by the tax bodies on the obligatory basis to taxpayers free of charge regardless of the form and methods of its submission. The tax bodies must inform free of charge (also in writing) the taxpayers of the available taxes and fees, legislation on taxes and fees and adopted in pursuance of it normative legal acts, procedure of calculation and payment of taxes and fees, rights and duties of taxpayers, authority of the tax bodies and their officials, as well as explain the procedure of filling of the tax reports.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 54 of February 4, 2005 on the Amendments to Some of the Acts of the Government of the Russian Federation Regulating the Issues of Export Control

The changes are stipulated by the introduction in March 2004 of the new system and structure of the federal bodies of executive power and the changing of the authority of the state bodies in the sphere of export control. The Decision specifies that the issue of the Russian import certificate of the Federal Service of Technical and Export Control of Russia is charged in the amount of 15 minimum amounts of labour remuneration.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 52 of February 3, 2005 on the Regulating Body in Charge of Control over Activities of Self-Regulating Organisations of Bankruptcy Commissioners

The regulating body in charge of control over activities of self-regulating organisations of bankruptcy commissioners is the Federal Registration Service of Russia.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 51 of February 3, 2005 on the Amounts and Procedure of Paying out of the Supplement for the Work on a Rotational Basis to Employees of Organisations Financed from the Federal Budget

The mentioned employees shall get the supplement for the work on a rotational basis in the following amounts instead of the daily subsistence for each calendar day of stay in the places of work durign the period of rotation, as well as for the actual days of travel from the place of location of the employer (assembly point) to the place of work and back:

- in the regions of the Far North and similar localities - 75% of the tariff rate (salary);

- in the regions of Siberia and the Far East - 50% of the tariff rate (salary);

- in other regions - 30% of the tariff rate (salary).

Calculation of the monthly supplement is made by dividing the monthly tariff rate (salary) of the employee by the number of calendar days of the appropriate month and multiplying by the total calendar days of stay of the employee in the places of work during the period of rotation and the actual days of travel from the place of location of the employer (assembly point) to the place of work and back in this month and by the specified amount of the supplement.

When getting the supplement, the field subsistence is not paid out. The supplement is calculated without the regional coefficient to the earnings and the percent supplement to the earnings for the length of work in the regions of the Far North and similar localities.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 50 of February 2, 2005 on the Procedure of Application of the Means and Methods of Control When Releasing Transport Vehicles, Cargo, Commodities and Animals across the State Border of the Russian Federation

Defines the means and methods of control used by the divisions of the federal bodies of executive power in the course of the borderline, immigration, sanitary and quarantine, veterinary, phyto-sanitary and transport control in the points of transfer across the state border of the Russian Federation, as well as their application procedure.

The state control bodies shall apply technical and electronic means, armaments and equipment, engineering structures and barriers, special means and service animals. The Decision specifies an exhaustive list of the methods of control: checking of documents, oral interrogation, getting explanations, observation, escort and examination of transport vehicles, cargo, commodities and animals, examination of transport vehicles, cargo and commodities, personal search, as well as examination of the rooms and territory of the points of transfer across the state border and taking samples (prototypes) for investigation.

Information Letter of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 90 of January 28, 2005

Summarises the practice of processing by arbitration courts of disputes pertaining to mortgage contracts.

Thus, if the subject matter of the mortgage contract is an object of unfinished construction, the mortgage contact preserves its force when the construction is over, and its subject is the building (structure) erected as a result of fulfilled construction works. The subject of the mortgage contract may be individual room, the rights for which as an independent object of immovable property are registered according to established procedure, however, not a part of such room.

When applying vindication to the leasing right for the land plot in a mortgage contract and selling it to a person having purchased such right, the lessee duties under the appropriate lease contract shall also transfer.

Operative Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 116-T of October 1, 2004 on the Methodology Recommendations for the Checking of Cash Work in Credit Organisations (Their Branches)

Explains individual issues of checks of execution by credit organisations (their branches) and their internal structural divisions of the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation and normative acts of the Bank of Russia regulating the procedure of operations with cash and other values, encashment, transportation and storage of cash and values, organisation of work with unplayable, doubtful and bearing the signs of forgery currency notes, as well as organisation in credit organisations of internal control over the proper and timely cash services.

Provides recommendations for the checking of organisation of cash work, inventory of values, observation by the credit organisation of the rules of operations with cash, procedure of packing of banknotes and coins of the Bank of Russia and cash services for the branches and internal structural divisions of the credit organisation (its branch).

Provides an approximate list of violations found with credit organisations in the course of cash operations.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SAE-3-05/173@ of December 27, 2004 on the Form of the Tax Notification of the Transfer of Advance Payments for the Uniform Social Tax

Endorses the form of the tax notification of the transfer of advance payments for the uniform social tax.

Advance payments are transferred by the tax payer on the basis of the tax notifications for January-June - no later than July 15 of the current year in the amount of ? of the annual amount of advance payments, for July-September - no later than October 15 of the current year in the amount of ? of the annual amount of advance payments, for October-December - no later than January 15 of the subsequent year in the amount of ? of the annual amount of advance payments.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6304.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SAE-3-09/123@ of November 23, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Specimen of the Blank Certificate

Endorses the specimen of the blank certificates of the state registration confirming the fact of entry of appropriate record in the uniform state registers of legal entities and independent entrepreneurs.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6302.

Order of the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Control over Circulation of Narcotics No. 402 of December 29, 2004 on the Amendments to the Order of the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Control over Circulation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances No. 122 of April 19, 2004

The amount of the monthly supplement for the complexity, stressful nature and special regime of service paid out to employees of the bodies in charger of control over circulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is increased from 70% to 120% of the salary for the occupied position.

The supplement is fixed on a differentiated basis depending on the composition of employees and service locale for a certain period of time - one year as a rule.

The supplement shall be paid out from January 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6301.

Order of the Federal Customs Service No. 1 of January 11, 2005 on the Monthly Supplement Paid out to the Employees of the Customs Bodies of the Russian Federation for the Complexity, Stressful Nature and Special Regime of Service

From January 1, 2005, employees of the customs bodies shall get the monthly supplement for the complexity, stressful nature and special regime of service in the amount of 120% of the salary for the occupied position. The monthly supplement is introduced for the employees of the customs bodies whose service duties involve tasks requiring a high level of professional training or imply a stressful special regime of service, depending on the composition of employees and service locale. The supplement is not paid out to employees in the child-care leave before they reach 3 years of age, as well as to those undergoing service in the representations of the Customs Service of the Russian Federation abroad.

The Order is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6298.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1540-U of December 29, 2004 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1465-U of June 29, 2004 on the Reservation Requirements When Entering Monetary Resources on the Special Bank Accounts and When Writing off of Monetary Resources from the Special Bank Accounts

The amendments significantly reduce the amounts of reservation in individual currency operations on the special bank accounts. In particular, when entering monetary resources on the special bank account of a resident in a foreign currency "R1", the reserved amount makes 2% (earlier, 3%) of the amount of entered monetary resources for the period of 365 calendar days. When writing off monetary resources from the special bank account of the resident in a foreign currency "R2", the reserved amount makes 25% (earlier, 50%) of the amount of written off monetary resources for the period of 15 calendar days.

The amendments do not change the periods of reservation.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 3, 2005. Reg. No. 6294.

Order of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation and the Administration of the Kaliningrad Province Nos. I-ASh, 01-1/2 of January 8, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Qualifying Individual Cars as Originating in the Special Economic Zone of the Kaliningrad Province

Originating in the Special Economic Zone of the Kaliningrad Province are considered to be the cars of the BMW Series 7 having undergone enough processing on the specially created production facilities by Russian legal entities and their branches registered on the territory of the mentioned zone.

The commodity is considered to be processed enough if there is a change of the classification code of commodities according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature at the level of any of the first four digits as a result of processing or product production, as well as if the added value of processing makes at least 30%.

The Order lists operations failing to meet the enough processing criteria.

The document confirming the cars origin in the Special Economic Zone is the certificate issued by the Kaliningrad Chamber of Commerce and Industry drawn up according to the specified form.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 1, 2005. Reg. No. 6292.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 07-03-01/79/SSh of February 2, 2005

From January 1, 2005, the payment for the issue of the copy of the auditor qualification certificate is replaced with the payment of the state duty for the issue of the copy of the auditor qualification certificate because of its loss in the amount of Rbl 400.

The state duty for the actions committed by the Ministry of Finance of Russia at auditor certification after January 1, 2005 is paid in the following amounts:

- for the issue of the auditor qualification certificate - Rbl 400;

- for the entry of changes in the auditor qualification certificate because of the change of the auditor name - Rbl 100.

The Letter provides bank requisites for the payment of the above state duty as incomes in the federal budget.

The state duty is not paid for the issue of the auditor qualification certificate by the persons included in the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia on the issue of the auditor qualification certificate before January 1, 2005 who did not yet receive it. The state duty is not collected also when the auditor qualification certificate is issued according to exchange procedure.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 328 of December 29, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Providing of the Set of Social Services to Individual Categories of Citizens

Specifies the rules of providing to citizens the set of social services in the form of additional free medical aid (including the one envisaging providing necessary medicines to doctors' (feldsher) prescriptions, providing accommodations for sanatorium and resort treatment in the presence of medical indications) and free travel on suburban railway transport, as well as on intercity transport to the place of treatment and back.

The set of the social services is provided to citizens included in the Federal Register of Persons Entitled for the State Social Aid (reference lists provided).

The Order provides the form of the application for the set of social services (social service) to be submitted to the territorial body of the Pension Fund of Russia assigning the monthly monetary payment. The period of providing of the set of social services to citizens is one calendar year. Application for the subsequent year is submitted by the citizen to the territorial body of the Pension Fund of Russia on the annual basis until October 1, of the current year.

The granting of the necessary medicines to citizens is vested in the prevention and treatment institutions providing initial medical and sanitary aid.

The sanatorium and resort treatment is arranged by providing accommodations in the presence of medical indications to the sanatorium and resort organisations located on the territory of the Russian Federation and included in the list endorsed by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of Russia. The accommodations for the sanatorium and resort treatment are purchased by the Social Insurance Fund of Russia.

Simultaneously with the sanatorium and resort accommodations provided by the executive bodies of the Fund or the bodies of social protection of population, the citizens get special tokens for the right of free long-distance travel on the railway, air, highway and water transport.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6303.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 26 of January 19, 2005 on the Amendments to the Normative Legal Acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

Amends the procedure of assigning of the state registration plates to transport vehicles. Amends, in particular, the list of the digital codes of the regions of the Russian Federation used on the state registration plates of transport vehicles and other special products necessary for the transport vehicles and their drivers to participate in traffic. The new wording is provided for the list of the digital codes used on the registration plates to designate the transport vehicles of employees of diplomatic representations, consular institutions, international (inter-state) organisations accredited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

Also changes the rules of registration of motor vehicles and trailers for them in the State Traffic Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The amendments take into account the Decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. GKPI 2003-635 of October 10, 2003 having invalidated Item 3.1 of the mentioned Rules inasmuch as it obliges the owners or holders of transport vehicles to remove them from records before concluding a contract terminating their proprietary rights for the transport vehicles. When removing from records transport vehicles and numbered units because of the termination of the proprietary rights on the basis of the contract concluded in oral form, the notes indicating the reasons of removal from records and the new owner are entered in column "Special Notes" of the certificate for the transport vehicle. Similar notes are entered in the register of transport vehicles and the registration card for the transport vehicle.

The Order specifies that if the transport vehicles are registered simultaneously with the removal from records, the divisions in charge of the registration shall hand out the "Transit" registration plates. The handing out of such registration plates is recorded in the certificate for the transport vehicle. Certificates of registration of transport vehicles in such cases are not handed out.

The Order specifies that the owners or holders of transport vehicles shall submit insurance policy of obligatory insurance of the civil responsibility in cases of registration, including the temporary one, and of change of the registration information for the transport vehicles when the duty to insure the civil responsibility is envisaged in the federal law.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6299.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 135n of December 31, 2004 on the Amendments to the Directions on the Procedure of Drawing up and Submission of Accounting Reports

The Directions on the procedure of drawing up and submission of accounting reports endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia No. 67n of July 22, 2003 now do not contain the provision stating that the annual balance report shows the groups of items "Reserved Capital", "Undistributed Profit (Uncovered Losses)" taking into account the results of work of the organisation for the reported year, adopted decisions to cover losses, pay out dividends and other.

The Order is entered into force beginning with accounting reports for the year 2004.

According to the Statement of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 01/677-VYa of January 31, 2005, the Order does not need the state registration.

Decision of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 16141/04 of January 26, 2005

Invalidates the Letter of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. 04-2-06/127 of February 17, 2004 on the taxation of compensation payments to reimburse the expenses pertaining to service trips as not complying with Item 1 of Article 11, Article 210, Item 3 of Article 217 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. According to the mentioned Letter, amounts of the daily subsistence paid out in excess of the specified norms are subject to the income tax from natural persons according to the commonly accepted procedure.

Letter of the Department of the Tax and Customs Tariff Policy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-06-05-05/43 of December 21, 2004 on the Issues of Application of the System of Taxation in the Form of the Uniform Imputed Income Tax

If there are two individual lease contracts for the rooms concluded for the purpose of retail trade, each of which has the shop floor area less than 150 square meters, and there is a separate cash register in each of the rooms, the leased rooms shall be regarded as separate objects of organisation of trade, and, therefore, the shop floor area must be determined separately for each object of organisation of trade. If there is only one lease contract concluded for all rooms for the purpose of retail trade, the mentioned rooms are regarded as a single object of organisation trade, and the whole of the room areas used for the trade activities are taken into account in the determination of the shop floor area.

Letter of the Department of the Tax and Custom Tariff Policy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-06-05-05/39 of December 16, 2004 on the Procedure of Application of the Provisions of Chapter 26.3 "System of Taxation in the Form of the Uniform Imputed Income Tax for Individual Types of Activities" of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

If the room used for the purpose of retail trade does not comply with the notion of a shop provided in Chapter 26.3 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, it should be regarded as an object of a non-stationary trade network. In this case, calculation of the uniform imputed income tax according to Article 346.29 of the Code is done using the figure of basic incomes - trade site.

Also explains that the stationary technical means of outdoor advertising include only those directly connected to the ground, buildings, structures (i.e. objects of immovable property) not intended for relocation during its period of placing on the appropriate advertising areas.

The activities of organisations and independent entrepreneurs in independent distribution and/or placing of promotion information on their commodities may not be recognised as complying with the notion of "entrepreneurial activities" specified in Article 2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, and, therefore, such activities may not fall under the system of taxation in the form of the uniform imputed income tax.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 65 of February 9, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Typical Forms of the Contract for the Services Rendered by a Specialised Depositary to a Non-State Pension Fund Acting as an Insurer in Obligatory Pension Insurance, Contract of Trust Control of Resources of Accumulated Pensions between a Non-State Pension Fund Acting as an Insurer in Obligatory Pension Insurance and the Management Company and the Contract for the Services Rendered by the Specialised Depositary to the Management Company Providing Trust Control of Resources of Accumulated Pensions of a Non-State Pension Fund Acting as an Insurer in Obligatory Pension Insurance

Endorses three typical forms of the contract between a specialised depositary, non-state pension fund and the management company.

According to the first contract, the specialised depositary undertakes to render to the fund the service of the daily control of observation by the management company that has concluded contracts of trust control of resources of accumulated pensions with the fund of the requirements specified in the Federal Law on non-state pension funds, other normative legal acts and the investment declaration, with the fund being obliged to pay for such services.

The second contract envisages that the fund shall hand over to the management company in trust control resources of accumulated pensions, and the management company undertakes to manage them to ensure the right of the insured to get the accumulated part of the labour pension. The beneficiary under such contract is the fund.

The third contract envisages that the specialised depositary undertakes to render to the management company in implementation of trust control by it of the resources of accumulated pensions the services in registration and transfer of the rights for the securities and keeping of certificates of the certified securities where the resources of accumulated pensions are invested in, as well as the registration of assets comprising the investment portfolio of the management company, with the management company being obliged to accept and pay for such services.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. GI-6-22/96@ of February 8, 2005 on the Application of the Simplified System of Taxation

Organisations or independent entrepreneurs may not apply the simplified system of taxation or loose the right of application of the given special tax regime from the beginning of the quarter where their income, number of employees or the cost of fixed assets and non-material assets from all types of entrepreneurial activities, including the one subject to the uniform imputed income tax, become greater than the limits specified in Chapter 26.2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

In case of a termination of the counter-obligation of the buyer of commodities (works, services) in the payment for the these commodities (works, services) by handing over of the third party promissory note by the buyer, the date of receiving of incomes by the organisation applying the simplified system of taxation is the day of receiving of the mentioned promissory note.

If the buyer pays with an own promissory note, the date of receiving of incomes is the date of redemption of the promissory note or the date of handing over by the taxpayer of the mentioned promissory note to the third party according to endorsement procedure.

Federal Law No. 2-FZ of February 14, 2005 on the Amendments to Article 3 of the Federal Law on the Justices of the Peace in the Russian Federation

The amendments to Article 3 are stipulated by the entry into force of the new Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation, Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation and the Code of Civil Procedures of the Russian Federation having extended and refined the authority of justices of the peace and bring it in compliance with the mentioned Codes. Beside the cases listed in the new wording of the Article, federal laws may also include other cases in the sphere of reference of justices of the peace.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 136 of February 9, 2005 on the Call up of the Citizens of the Russian Federation Being in the Reserve to the Military Training in 2005

Calls up the citizens of the Russian Federation being in the reserve for the military training in 2005 for up to two months in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, civil defence forces, technical engineering and road construction military formations of the Federal Agency of Special Construction of Russia, federal bodies of the state guard service, bodies of the Federal Security Service including the borderguard troops.

The military training is arranged within the time limits coordinated with the bodies of executive power of the subjects of the Russian Federation except for the muster where the time limits are defined by the Ministry of Defence of Russia.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.

Official Information of the Federal Tax Service No. 03-04-08/21 of February 10, 2005 on the Submission of the Tax Declarations for the Value Added Tax and Excise Duty Taxes

Before the endorsement of the new forms of the tax decorations for the value added tax and the excise duty taxes, as well as their filling procedures, the taxpayers shall submit to the tax bodies declarations for these taxes according to the forms endorsed by the Orders of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. BG-3-03/644 of November 20, 2003 on the endorsement of the forms of declarations for the value added tax and No. BG-3-03/675@ of December 10, 2003 on the endorsement of the forms of tax declarations for excise duty taxes and their filling instructions.

The Information describes the particulars of recording in the mentioned declarations of operations of import of commodities from Belarus and of sale of oil and gas on the territories of the CIS member-states from January 1, 2005.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. MM-6-05/72@ of February 1, 2005 on the Application of the Regressive Scale of the Rates of the Uniform Social Tax and Tariff Rates of Insurance Contributions for the Obligatory Pension Insurance

In the calculation of the uniform social tax and insurance contributions for obligatory pension insurance the taxpayers shall apply from January 1, 2005 on the obligatory basis the rates specified in Article 241 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and the tariff rates specified in Articles 22 and 33 of the Federal Law No. 167-FZ of December 15, 2001 on the obligatory pension insurance in the Russian Federation. Item 2 of Article 241 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation having specified earlier the terms of application of the regression is invalidated.

Letter of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation No. 500-VG/70 of February 14, 2005 on the Prices for Design and Survey Works in Construction for the I Quarter of 2005

The average level of basic prices for design works in construction for the I quarter of 2005 is fixed in the amount of: 1.73 to the level of prices as of January 1, 2001, 13.38 to the level of prices as of January 1, 1995.

Inflation index for survey works in construction for the I quarter of 2005 is fixed in the amount of: 1.76 to the level of prices as of January 1, 2001, 20.08 to the basic prices as of January 1, 1991.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 70 of February 11, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Providing Subsidies from the Federal Fund of Co-Financing of Social Expenses for Partial Reimbursement of Expenses of the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation for the Subsidies to Citizens to Pay for the Dwelling and for Communal Services

Introduces a uniform procedure of providing subsidies from the Federal Fund of Co-Financing of Social Expenses for partial reimbursement of expenses of the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation pertaining to subsidies granted to citizens to pay for the dwelling and for communal services, including the citizens working and living in rural localities, in compliance with decisions of the legislative (representative) and executive bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation and of calculation of the amount of subsidies.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 69 of February 11, 2005 on the State Expert Evaluation of Reserves of Mineral Resources, Geological, Economic and Ecological Information on the Parts of Subsoil Resources Granted for Use, Amount and Procedure of Collection of Payment for It

The state expert evaluation shall be vested in the state institution designated by the Federal Agency for Use of Subsoil Resources in coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia. The state expert evaluation may be arranged on any stage of geological investigation of the deposit under the condition that provided geological materials permit to objectively assess the quality and quality of the mineral reserves, their industrial destination, mining, hydro-geological, ecological and other conditions of extraction. The time limit of the expert evaluation is determined depending on the labour intensity of the expert evaluation works and the volume of provided materials, however, should not be greater than 90 days. If necessary, the time limit of the state expert evaluation may be prolonged, but not more than for 60 days.

The subsoil resources may be granted for use for extraction of the mineral deposits only after the state expert evaluation of the reserves of mineral deposits.

The parts of subsoil resources may be granted for use for construction and operation of subsoil structures other than those pertaining to development of the deposits of mineral resources only after the state expert evaluation of the geological information on such parts of subsoil resources.

The state registration of the reserves of mineral resources is arranged on the basis of the statement of the state expert evaluation on the industrial significance of the investigated mineral deposits.

The state expert evaluation is arranged on the paid basis at the expense of the users of subsoil resources. Amounts of payment for the state expert evaluation are provided.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 68 of February 11, 2005 on the Particulars of the State Registration of the Right of Ownership and Other Proprietary Rights for the Cable Line Communication Structures

Defines the particulars of the state registration of the right of ownership and other proprietary rights for the telecommunication structures and other objects of the engineering infrastructure created or adjusted for placing communication cables that cannot be relocated without an incommensurable harm to their destination. The mentioned objects may be registered as a single complex or an individual object of immovable property.

The state registration of the right for the cable line communication structures located on the territory of more than one registration district is vested in the Federal Registration Service.

The documents necessary for the state registration of the right for the cable line communication structures include the attached technical certificate for the cable line communication structure including the layout of the cable line communication structure and other characteristics of the object of immovable property.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 67 of February 11, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Providing Subsidies in 2005 from the Federal Fund of Co-Financing of Social Expenses for the Partial Reimbursement of Expenses of the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation Pertaining to State Allowances Paid out to Citizens with Children, Measures of Social Support for the Veterans of Labour and Workers of the Logistic Support, Measures of Social Support for the Rehabilitated Persons and Person Recognised As Victims of Political Repressions

Defines the rules of providing subsidies in 2005 from the Federal Fund of Co-Financing of Social Expenses for the partial reimbursement of expenses of the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation for the state allowances paid out to citizens with children, measures of social support for the veterans of labour and workers of logistic support, measures of social support for the rehabilitated persons and persons recognised as victims of political repressions, except for the payments where the rules of financing are endorsed by the decision of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 66 of February 11, 2005 "Issues of Reformation of the Extra-Departmental Security Service of the Bodies of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation"

The federal state unitary enterprise "Okhrana" subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is created on the basis of the paramilitary and security divisions of the extra-departmental security service of the bodies of internal affairs of the Russian Federation and divisions of the extra-departmental security service of the bodies of internal affairs of the Russian Federation engaged in design works, installation, servicing and repair of the technical security means.

The Directorate of the Extra-Departmental Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is renamed into the Centre of Operative Control of the Work of the Extra-Departmental Security.

Order of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance No. 87 of December 29, 2004 on the Procedure of Financing of Expenses for the Measures of Social Support for Individual Categories of Citizens Pertaining to Medicines

Defines the procedure of financing of expenses to implement the measures of social support for individual categories of citizens in the rendering of additional free medical aid including the necessary medicines. The financing of expenses to provide the citizens with the necessary medicines is arranged by providing resources to the budget of the territorial fund of obligatory medical insurance to implement the tied expenses in the form of a subvention against the request drawn up according to the provided specimen.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6326.

Order of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance No. 93 of December 31, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Generation and Use of Resources of the Insurance Reserve from the Resources Allocated to Provide the Citizens with Necessary Medicines

The insurance reserve is created at the expense of envisaged in the budget of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance resources for the compensation of the deficit of resources for the necessary medicines provided to citizens distributed among the territorial funds of obligatory medical insurance proceeding from the amount of population living in the subject of the Russian Federation and entitled for the set of social services.

Resources of the insurance reserve are used in cases of insufficiency of resources allocated for the financing of the mentioned expenses. The amount of the insurance reserve is built on the quarterly basis according to the limits of the budget resources for the subsequent quarter and must make at least 10% of the volume of resources envisaged in the expenses item of the budget of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance "Implementation of the Measures of Social Support for Individual Categories of Citizens Pertaining to Necessary Medicines".

The Order provides a sample request for the financing of expenses to provide the citizens with the necessary medicines at the expense of the resources of the insurance reserve. The request is submitted to the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance in cases of insufficiency of resources for the mentioned support of citizens allocated to the territorial fund on the basis of the budget request.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6325.

Federal Law No. 4-FZ of February 15, 2005 on the Execution of the Budget of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation for the Year 2003

Endorses the report of execution of the budget of the Social Insurance Fund for the year 2003 with incomes amounting to Rbl 137,249.8 million and expenses amounting to Rbl 136,161.4 million, the surplus of incomes over expenses being Rbl 1,088.4 million.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 3-FZ of February 14, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Labour Pensions in the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Introduction of the Basic Parts of the Labour Pensions and the Procedure of Indexing of the Basic and the Insured Parts of the Labour Pension in 2005

The amendments envisage beside the indexing of the basic and the insured parts of the labour pensions also such method of increasing of pensions as a stepwise increase of the basic part of the labour pension to the cost of living.

From March 1, 2005, there will be a one-time increase of the amounts of the basic part of the labour pensions of all types (old-age, disability, lost-breadwinner pensions). The amount of the basic part of the labour old-age pension is increased two times and is fixed in the amount of Rbl 900 per month. Simultaneously, the amounts of the basic parts of the all other types of the labour pensions are increased proportionally.

The particulars of indexing of the pensions in 2005 are specified. The indexing of the basic and the insured parts of the labour pensions, as well as the additional increase of the amount of the insured part of the labour pensions, will be made from August 1, 2005, with coefficients of indexing (increase) being defined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Federal Law is entered into force from March 1, 2005.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 73 of February 14, 2005 on the Financial Support in 2005 of Expenditure Obligations of the Russian Federation Pertaining to the Monthly Monetary Compensation Paid out in Redemption of the Damage to the Health of Citizens Pursuant to the Radiation Exposure because of the Chernobyl Disaster or Carrying out Works to Eliminate the Consequences of the Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

Specifies the procedure of implementation in 2005 of expenses pertaining to the monthly monetary compensations paid out in redemption of the damage to the health of citizens pursuant to the radiation exposure because of the Chernobyl disaster or carrying out works to eliminate the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station where the decisions are taken by the bodies of social protection of the population of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

The Decision is entered into force from January 1, 2005.

Letter of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 02-18/07-1243 of February 15, 2005

Explains that the disability period is defined in the calendar days, with the allowance being handed out for the actually wasted working days (hours) during the disability period envisaged in the working schedule. Therefore, the coverage at the expense of the employer applies to the working days (hours) envisaged in the working schedule and wasted by the employee because of the disease (injury) falling on the first two calendar days of the disability.

Reports that the procedure of drawing up of the reverse side of the disability sheet after the changing of the procedure of financing of the temporary disability allowances did not change.

Insurance contributions for obligatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases for the amount of the temporary disability allowance because of the disease or injury do not accrue.

The amount of the allowance covered by the employer for the first two days of the disability is exempted from the uniform social tax.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. ShS-6-09/5 of January 13, 2005 on the Interim Methodology Recommendations

Explains the issues of application of Chapter 25.3 "State Duty" of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation entered into force from January 1, 2005, provides individual comparisons with the earlier available procedure of payment of the state duty. Emphasises that from January 1, 2005, the state duty is not collected at the state registration of a legal entity because of the liquidation in cases of bankruptcy proceedings. If a natural person terminates his activities as an independent entrepreneur, the state duty is not collected either.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 159 of February 16, 2005 on the Sample Form of the Service Contract for the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation and a Position in the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation

The sample form of the service contract is used for the conclusion of service contracts with the citizens of the Russian Federation admitted to the state civil service of the Russian Federation after January 31, 2005. The earlier concluded labour contracts with the state servants must be redrawn within 3 months.

The Decree is entered into force from February 1, 2005.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 17 of January 14, 2005 on the Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia No. 260 of July 6, 1995

Invalidates the norms of the manning table of the specialised division of the State Traffic Inspection in charge of the safe and unobstructed travel of the special-purpose vehicles of the traffic patrol, special and technical operative means, means of communication, individual protection and active defence, armaments, munitions.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6336.

Order of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Public Health and Social Development No. 660-Pr/04 of December 22, 2004 on the Trade Mark-ups to the Registered Prices for Medicines Provided to Individual Categories of Citizens

Specifies the limiting trade mark-ups to the registered prices for the medicines intended for supplies to individual categories of citizens entitled for the state social aid in the form of a set of social services. The minimum amount of the trade mark-up is fixed for the city of Moscow (20%), the maximum, for the Chukotka Autonomous District (103%).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6334.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 8n of January 24, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Application for the Registration of the Object (Objects) of Taxation for the Gambling Tax

Endorses the new form of the application for the registration of the object (objects) of taxation for the gambling tax. Using the application, the tax bodies register the tables, machines, sweepstake checkout counters and book-maker offices.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6333.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 7n of January 24, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Certificate of Registration of the Object (Objects) of Taxation for the Gambling Tax and the Appendix to the Certificate of Registration of the Object (Objects) of Taxation for the Gambling Tax

Endorses the form of the certificate of registration of the object (objects) of taxation for the gambling tax and the appendix to the certificate of registration of the object (objects) of taxation for the gambling tax. The certificate confirms the fact of registration by the tax bodies of the tables, machines, sweepstake checkout counters and book-maker offices.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6332.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 6n of January 24, 2005 on the Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 97n of November 1, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Gambling Tax and Its Filling Instruction

Provides a new wording for the cover sheet of the declaration for the gambling tax (KND Form 1152011).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6331.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 50 of December 24, 2004 on the Criteria of Determination of the Categories of Trains for Passenger Transportation Depending on the Speed of Travel and the Travel Distance

As to the travel distance, the trains are divided into the long-distance (with the travel distance greater than 150 km) and suburban ones (with the travel distance up to 150 km). As to the travel speed, the trains are divided into express trains (passenger trains with the service speed of 141-200 km/h), high-speed trains (with the service speed on all parts of the rout of at least 50 km/h) and the stopping trains (with the service speed below 50 km/h).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6330.

Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation No. 23 of January 24, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Processing of Requests for the Right of Use of Subsoil Resources When the Deposit is Discovered by the User Having Carried out Works in Geological Investigation of the Parts of the Mineral Deposits at His Own Expense (Including the Attracted Resources) for the Purpose of Prospecting and Extraction of the Mineral Resources of Such Deposit

The endorsed procedure regulates the procedure of processing of requests for the right of use of the mentioned subsoil resources. The procedure does not apply to the right of use of subsoil resources granted when the deposit is discovered by the user having carried out works in geological investigation of the parts of subsoil resources of the internal sea waters, territorial sea and the continental shelf of the Russian Federation at the expense of own resources. The request and other listed documents are submitted to the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources or its territorial bodies no later than within 3 months from the date of receiving of the certificate of discovering of the deposit of the mineral resources at the appropriate site.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6329.

Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation No. 22 of January 24, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Processing of Requests for the Short-Term (up to One Year) Right of Use of the Part of the Mineral Resources

The endorsed procedure regulates the processing of requests for the right of short-term (up to one year) use of the part of the mineral resources. If it is not expedient or impossible for the rational use and protection of subsoil resources to suspend the extraction of the mineral resources, the bodies having permitted an early termination of the right of use of the appropriate part of the mineral deposit may grant the right of a short-term (up to one year) use of such part of the mineral deposit to a legal entity (operator) before the adoption of the decision on the new user of the subsoil resources.

The Order lists the documents to be submitted to the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources to obtain the mentioned right.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6328.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 126n of December 28, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Territorial Body of the Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement - Inspection of Insurance Enforcement in the Federal District

The insurance enforcement inspection in the federal district is a territorial body of the Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of insurance activities on the territory of the federal distract.

The inspection shall control and enforce observation of the requirements of the insurance legislation by the subjects of insurance activities, as well as their branches, including the on-site checks of their work, fulfilment by other legal entities and natural persons of the requirements of the insurance legislation and implement other authority.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 15, 2005. Reg. No. 6327.

Federal Law No. 5-FZ of February 19, 2005 on the Ratification of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Shanghai Organisation of Cooperation <br>

Ratifies the Convention signed in Tashkent on June 17, 2004. The Convention envisages privileges and immunities of the Shanghai Organisation of Cooperation, its officials, as well as representatives of the member-states.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 87 of February 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the List of the Names of Communication Services Entered in the Licenses and the Lists of the Licensed Services <br>

Lists communication services entered in the licenses for the activities in the sphere of communication services. The given services include, in particular, the services of the local, intercity and international telephone communication, telegraph, postal communication, services of the mobile satellite radio communication and other.

Also lists the license terms of activities in the sphere of the appropriate communication services.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 86 of February 17, 2005 on the Raising of the Monetary Subsistence for the Draft Servicemen <br>

From April 1, 2005, amounts of salaries for the typical military positions of individual draft servicemen are increased by Rbl 100. From September 1, 2005, the amounts of salaries will be increased by Rbl 100 more.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 85 of February 17, 2005 on the List of Professional Equipment for the Purpose of Production and Issue of Mass Media Exempted from the Customs Fees for the Customs Registration under the Customs Regime of Temporary Export and When It Is Imported Back <br>

The mentioned list includes press, radio and TV broadcasting equipment, as well as the transport vehicles developed or specially adjusted for the mentioned equipment.

The Decision is entered into force 7 days after the date of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 84 of February 17, 2005 on the Measures to Protect Russian Producers of Dry Baking Yeast <br>

The special duty for the imported dry baking yeast (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2102 10 310 0) is fixed for 3 years in the following amounts: from the date of entry into force of the Decision - in the amount of EUR 250 per ton, from December 1, 2005 - in the amount of EUR 225 per ton, from December 1, 2006 - in the amount of EUR 200 per ton.

The special duty is not collected for commodities originating in Belarus, except for the case when they are released for free circulation in this republic without collection of the special duty or without the transfer of the paid amounts of this duty to the federal budget.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 82 of February 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Procedure of Handing over of Information to the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring by Lawyers, Notaries and the Persons Engaged in Entrepreneurial Activities in the Sphere of Legal or Accounting Services <br>

The lawyers, notaries and the persons engaged in entrepreneurial activities in the sphere of legal or accounting services, if they have any reasons to suggest that transactions or financial operations are carried out or may be carried out for the purpose of legalisation (laundering) of incomes obtained in a criminal way or financing of terrorism, shall inform of it the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring. The lawyers and notaries may hand over information on such transactions or financial operations of their clients both independently and through the lawyer and notary chambers in the presence of an agreement with these chambers on interaction with the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring.

The uniform format of submission of information, form of encoding and the lists (guides) of codes to be used for its submission, as well as the communication channels to transfer the information are defined by the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 81 of February 16, 2005 on the Determination of the Sources of Reimbursement of Expenses to Provide for the Activities and Fulfilment of the Duties of the Operating Organisation in the Sphere of Use of Nuclear Power <br>

Specifies the procedure of registration, determination and reimbursement of the deficit of resources to reimburse the expenses to provide for the activities and fulfilment of the duties of the operating organisation in the sphere of use of nuclear power.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 346 of December 31, 2004 on the Organisation of Issue of Permissions for the Use of Medical Technologies

Defines the procedure of issue of permissions for the application of new medical technologies including the ones suggested for use on the territory of the Russian Federation for the first time and improved multitudes of methods of treatment, diagnostics, prevention, rehabilitation, means of implementation of the given methods, and, in some cases, also the method of obtaining of the means used in the given technology.

The permission in the form of the registration certificate is issued by the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Public Health and Social Development. The Order lists the documents sent by the applicant to this body to obtain the permission.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 10, 2005. Reg. No. 6317.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. GV-6-21/120@ of February 14, 2005 on the Forms of the Tax Declarations <br>

The tax declarations for the transport tax and the property tax from organisations are submitted to the tax bodies according to the forms endorsed by the Orders of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. SAE-3-21/224 of March 23, 2004 and No. BG-3-21/724 of December 29, 2003 while filling the "Code of the Budget Classification" to twenty digits.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 177 of February 18, 2005 on the Monthly Monetary Incentive Payment for Individual Categories of Servicemen and Employees with Special Grades <br>

From March 1, 2005, contract servicemen, employees of the bodies of internal affairs, institutions and bodies of the criminal execution system, State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, bodies of control over circulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and the customs bodies of the Russian Federation (except for the servicemen and employees occupying positions in the central offices of the appropriate federal bodies of executive power) shall get monthly monetary incentive payment in the amount of one salary.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 176 of February 18, 2005 on the Monthly Supplement to Pensions for Individual Categories of Pensioners <br>

From March 1, 2005, introduces a monthly supplement to pensions for the persons having undergone military service, service in the bodies of internal affairs, State Fire Service, bodies of control over circulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, institutions and bodies of the criminal execution system in the amount of Rbl 240.

Pensioners getting two pensions simultaneously shall get the mentioned monthly supplement to only one pension.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 79 of February 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rates of Export Customs Duties for Commodities of Oil Exported from the Territory of the Russian Federation outside the Member-States of the Customs Union Agreements <br>

The rates of the export customs duties for individual commodities of oil (benzene, toluene, xylene, lubricating oils, spent oil products, propane, butanes, ethylene, propylene, butylene, and butadiene, other liquefied gases, some distillates, gas oils) are increased from USD 57 to USD 68.2 per ton. The rate of the export duty for liquid fuels are reduced from USD 45.4 to USD 36.7 per ton.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 89 of February 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Building and Keeping of the Register of Participants of the Accumulative Mortgage System of the Housing Support for Servicemen by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Federal Bodies of Executive Power Where the Military Service is Envisaged According to the Federal Legislation <br>

Specifies the rules of building and keeping of the register of participants of the accumulative mortgage system of the housing support for servicemen, handing over of information necessary for the keeping of the personal savings accounts, preparation and submission of the forecasts to generate budget design works for the subsequent year, as well as informing of participants in writing of their inclusion in the register and exclusion from it.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 9n of January 24, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Declaration for Insurance Contributions for Obligatory Pension Insurance for the Entities Making Payments to Natural Persons and Its Filling Instruction <br>

Endorses the form of the declaration for insurance contributions for obligatory pension insurance for the entities making payments to natural persons (KND Form 1151065) and its filling instruction.

The declaration is submitted by insurants to the territorial bodies of the Federal Tax Service of Russia no later than March 30 of the year following the expired settlement period. Separate divisions of organisations with a separate balance, settlement account and making payments and other remuneration in favour of natural persons shall execute the duties of organisations in submission of the declaration at their place of location.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 21, 2005. Reg. No. 6347.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 84 of January 17, 2005 on the Procedure for the Activities of a General Practitioner (Family Doctor) <br>

Specifies the general rules for the activities of general practitioners (family doctors) implied to be the doctors having undergone a special multi-discipline training in the rendering of the first medical and sanitary aid to the family members regardless of their sex and age. The family doctor may be a specialist with a higher medical education specialising in therapy or pediatry, having graduated from post-graduate courses in the general medical practice (family medicine) or district physicians and district paediatricians having undergone a professional re-training in the general practice (family medicine) and having obtained a certificate of the specialist in this field. Family doctors shall render initial medical and sanitary aid to the community of patients having chosen the doctor on their free will.

Endorses the registration Form 030/u VOP "Certificate of the District of the General (Family) Practice", filling instructions for the registration Forms 039/u-VOP "Logbook of the General Practitioner (Family Doctor)", 039-1/u-VOP "Logbook of the Assistant Nurse of the General Practitioner (Family Nurse)" and the reporting Form 1-VOP "Information of the Activities of the Doctor (Division, Centre) of the General (Family) Practice".

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 21, 2005. Reg. No. 6346.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 111 of February 1, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Per Capita Normative <br>

Introduces the per capita normative for the I quarter of 2005 for supplies with necessary medicines for the citizens for the cases of out-patient aid in the amount of Rbl 197.5 per person per month. Proceeding from the amount of the per capita normative, the territorial funds of obligatory medical insurance shall make monthly transfers to provide for the supplies of the necessary medicines to citizens to render out-patient aid.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6341.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 127n of December 30, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Territorial Body of the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring <br>

The territorial body of the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring is its interregional department in charge of the combating of legalisation (laundering) of incomes obtained in a criminal way and financing of terrorism on the territory of the appropriate federal district.

The territorial bodies, in particular, shall provide for the control and enforcement of legal entities and natural persons, as well as check them in the specified sphere of activities. Within their sphere of reference, the territorial bodies may arrange checks, as well as apply measures of restrictive and preventive nature.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 17, 2005. Reg. No. 6337.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 4n of January 20, 2005 on the Amendments to the Directions on the Procedure of Application of the Budget Classification of the Russian Federation Endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 114n of December 10, 2004 <br>

Budget records of the incomes administered by the Federal Tax Service and the Federal Customs Service shall be arranged by the bodies in charge of the cash services for the execution of the budgets and the bodies in charge of the execution of the budgets according to the codes of the budget classification using the values of "0000" in the 14th to 17th positions "Program (Subprogram)".

Amendments are introduced in the table of correspondence of the codes of classification of incomes of the budgets of the Russian Federation having been in effect in 2004 with the codes of classification of incomes of the budgets of the Russian Federation entering into force from January 1, 2005.

According to the Statement of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Order does not need the state registration.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 31-T of February 17, 2005 on the Application of Item 2.3 of the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 254-P of March 26, 2004 on the Procedure of Generation by Credit Organisations of Reserves for Possible Losses for the Loans, Debts in Loans and Similar Debts <br>

If there is no change of the credit risk in a loan, regulation of the reserve pertaining to the change of the amount of the main debt (including the one pertaining to the change of the rate of a foreign currency of the loan to the rouble) both for the intramonthly and the reporting dates is arranged according to the procedure defined in the internal documents of the credit organisation, which may envisage that the decision on the regulation of the reserve in the mentioned cases may be taken not only by the head of the credit organisation, but also by another official authorised for it.

Decision of the Chief State Sanitary Physician of the Russian Federation No. 1 of January 18, 2005 on the Prohibition of Use of Nutrient Additives

To prevent the danger of mass non-infectious diseases (intoxication) of population, prohibits the import to the Russian Federation of foodstuffs using E216 (para-oxybenzoic acid propyl ether) and E 217 (para-oxybenzoic acid propyl ether sodium salt) additives. From March 1, 2005, also prohibits the use of the mentioned additives in production of foodstuffs.

Earlier, the mentioned additives were used in the food industry as preservatives in production of confectionery and meet items.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 22, 2005. Reg. No. 6352.

Order of the Federal Customs Service No. 90 of February 7, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Lists of Divisions of the Customs Bodies of the Russian Federation and Positions in Them Occupied by the Employees Participating in Operative Investigation Work <br>

Lists divisions of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, customs bodies and positions in them occupied by the employees participating in the operative investigation work.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 22, 2005. Reg. No. 6349.

Order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation No. 24 of January 25, 2005 on the Amounts and Procedure of Providing of Draft Servicemen of the Civil Defence Troops with Monetary Resources for the Travel on All Types of Public Urban, Suburban and Local Transport (Except for the Taxi) <br>

Defines the amounts of payments to draft soldiers, sergeants and sergeantmajors of the civil defence troops, as well as the students of the Academy of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia before the conclusion of the first contract, for the travel on all types of public urban, suburban and local transport (except for the taxi).

The paying out of the monetary resources to draft servicemen is arranged simultaneously with the paying out of the monetary subsistence for the current month.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 22, 2005. Reg. No. 6348.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 10 of February 4, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Organisation of Work to Draw up the Access to the State Secret for the Heads of Self-Regulating Organisations of Bankruptcy Commissioners and for Bankruptcy Commissioners <br>

Introduces uniform rules of organisation of work to draw up the access to the state secret for the heads of self-regulating organisations of bankruptcy commissioners and for bankruptcy commissioners. The decision to provide access for the head of a self-regulating organisation to the state secret is taken by the Director of the Federal Registration Service. The decision to provide access to the state secret for a member of a self-regulating organisation - bankruptcy commissioner - is taken by the head of the territorial body of the Federal Registration Service. The mentioned decisions are taken after the checks carried out by the security bodies.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6339.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 133n of December 31, 2004 on the Introduction of Reports of Spending of the Budget Allocations to Pay out Monetary Compensations To Rehabilitated Persons Envisaged in Articles 15 and 16.1 of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Rehabilitation of the Victims of Political Repressions <br>

Beginning with the report for the I quarter of 2005, introduces the form of the quarterly and annul report 2-kr "On the Spending of the Budget Allocations to Pay out Monetary Compensation to Rehabilitated Persons Envisaged in Articles 15 and 16.1 of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Rehabilitation of the Victims of Political Repressions".

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 21, 2005. Reg. No. 6344.

Decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 3 of February 24, 2005 on the Judicial Practice in Cases of Protection of the Honour and Dignity of Citizens, As Well As the Business Reputation of Citizens and Legal Entities <br>

Provides a summary of the judicial practice in cases of protection of the honour and dignity of citizens, as well as the business reputation of citizens and legal entities. Explains individual issues emerging in the judicial practice pursuant to the ratification by the Russian Federation of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the Protocols to it. The courts' attention is drawn to the fact that the right of citizens for the protection of honour, dignity and the business reputation is their constitutional right, and the business reputation of legal entities is one of the prerequisites of their successful work. When solving the mentioned disputes, the courts should be guided not only by the norms of the Russian legislation, but also take into account the legal position of the European Human Rights Court.

Judicial protection of the honour, dignity and business reputation of the person having experienced a dissemination of a false detractive information pertaining to him is not excluded also in cases when it is impossible to identify the person having disseminated such information (for example, when anonymous letters are being sent to citizens and organisations, or information is disseminated over the Internet by a person impossible to identify).

If the false detractive information has been placed in the Internet on the site registered as a means of mass media according to the established legal procedure, one should be guided by the norms pertaining to mass media when processing the lawsuit on the protection of the honour, dignity and business reputation.

Since the requirements of protection of the honour, dignity and business reputation are being the requirements of protection of non-proprietary rights, the limitation of action does not apply to them except for the cases envisaged in the law.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 26n of February 26, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Methodology Recommendations on the Introduction of the Instruction on the Budget Record Keeping Endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation <br>

The remaining balances on the accounts as of January 1, 2005 shall be carried over as opening balances of the chart of accounts as of January 1, 2005. The institution shall carry over the balances on the accounts after fulfilling operations of closing of the accounts and drawing up of the accounting reports for the year 2004. The results of the inventory taking (registration of unrecorded objects, writing off of shortage etc.) must be recorded in the accounting work of the institution before the closing of the accounts for the year 2004.

The balances on the accounts are carried over separately for each of the accounts at the cost they were recorded as of January 1, 2005 in the accounting work of the institution according to the provided table of correspondence of the chart of accounts of the budget-supported institutions and the uniform chart of accounts of execution of the budgets with the chart of accounts of the budget records and accounting records of the transfer to the accounts of budget records.

The Order also provides the table of correspondence of the code of the account of the budget records with the code of classification of incomes, agency functional classification of expenses of the budgets, classification of the sources of financing of the deficit of the budgets.

The turnovers available on the subaccounts must also be transferred during the year 2005 together with the opening balances as of January 1, 2005.

Letter of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation No. 645-VG/70 of February 25, 2005 on the Indices of Change of the Estimated Cost of Construction for the I Quarter of 2005 <br>

For the I quarter of 2005, specifies the indices of change of the estimated cost of construction on the whole for the erection and installation works and by items of expenses in the subjects of the Russian Federation for the objects where the construction is financed using the resources of the federal budget. The indices are intended for the determination of the current cost of erection and installation works calculated at the level of basic prices for the resources used in construction. The indices take into account the multitude of erection and installation works fulfilled on the objects of housing construction, social sphere, industrial destination and transport construction and are intended for the general economic estimates in the investment sphere, preparation of tender documentation, as well as for larger estimates of the cost of construction using the basic indices method. The mentioned indices do not apply in the determination of the cost of construction using the resources method.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. 04-1-02/704 of January 24, 2005 on the Payment of the Incomes Tax from Natural Persons <br>

According to the Federal Tax Service of Russia, the drivers engaged in international transportation on the permanent basis may be qualified as persons whose job takes place on the way or is of travelling nature both on the territory of the Russian Federation and during their stay on the territory of foreign states. The daily subsistence paid out to such drivers is not included in the incomes subject to the incomes tax from natural persons within the limits specified in the legislation.

When writing off driver expenses made on the territory of foreign states in foreign currencies, the advance report of the driver must have attached initial documents confirming the suffered expenses of purchase of oils and lubricants, parking, paid highways, customs fees on the border.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 21n of February 10, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Uniform Social Tax for the Entities Making Payments to Natural Persons and Its Filling Instruction <br>

Endorses the form of the tax declaration for the uniform social tax for the entities making payments to natural persons (KND Form 1151046) and its filling Instruction.

The tax declaration for the uniform social tax for organisations, independent entrepreneurs, natural persons not recognised as independent entrepreneurs is submitted by the taxpayers to the territorial bodies of the Federal Tax Service of Russia no later than March 30 of the year following the expired tax period. Separate divisions of organisations with a separate balance, settlement account and making payments and other remuneration in favour of natural persons shall execute the duties of organisations to submit the declaration at their place of location.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 24, 2005. Reg. No. 6358.

Order of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance No. 9 of February 2, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Transfer to the Territorial Funds of Obligatory Medical Insurance of Resources to the Accounts of the Pharmacy Organisation in Case of Absence in the Subject of the Russian Federation of the Medical Insurance Organisation Providing the Citizens with Necessary Medicines <br>

Specifies the rules of transfer by the territorial fund of obligatory medical insurance of resources to the accounts of the pharmacy organisation possessing a license for the appropriate type of activities in additional supplies for individual categories of citizens entitled for the state social aid in the form of a set of social services of necessary medicines to doctor's (feldsher) prescription in case of absence in the subject of the Russian Federation of the medical insurance organisation providing the citizens with necessary medicines.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6361.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 34-T of February 22, 2005 on the Procedure of Filling of the Form of the Simultaneous Investigation 0409404 "Information on Investments of the Authorised Banks and Their Resident Clients (Other Than Credit Organisations) in Securities Issued by Non-Residents As of January 1, 2005" <br>

For the purposes of filling of the form of the simultaneous investigation 0409404, securities issued at international financial markets by non-residents in the interests of the residents of the Russian Federation should be registered as securities issued by non-residents. The Letter provides a sample list of securities of such type indicating individual parameters.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 33-T of February 21, 2005 on the Procedure of Application of Individual Provisions of the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 109-I of January 14, 2004 on the Procedure of Adoption by the Bank of Russia of the Decision on the State Registration of Credit Organisations and Issue of the Licenses for Bank Operations <br>

To prepare the statement of compliance with the requirements of the Bank of Russia of the rooms of the credit organisation (its division) for operations with values in the absence of insurance of cash, compliance certificates must be presented for the equipment of the rooms for operations with values (including the protective one).

If the registered capital of the credit organisation is increased at the expense of its property, there is not need to obtain the preliminary consent of the Bank of Russia for the purchase of more than 20% of the stocks (shares) of the credit organisation.

If the credit organisation (its branch) opens an additional office (cash and credit office) permitted to provide cash services (in the absence of the storage room for values) on the basis of the closed cash department outside the cash centre of the same credit organisation (same branch), such office may begin cash servicing from the moment of notifying of the appropriate territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia of its opening.

Information Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 7 of February 21, 2005 "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 <br>

The credit organisation, when getting a payment order to transfer monetary resources to the recipient under a loan contract, if it wants to reveal an operation subject to obligatory control, may request from the legal entity (lender) the documents permitting to determine whether the carried out operation may be qualified as the one subject to obligatory control. Such documents include, in particular, the loan contract containing information on the terms of the granted loan.

The Letter explains that the day of revealing of the suspected operation is the day when the credit organisation adopts the final decision recognising the client operation as suspicious as a result of internal "anti-legalisation" control measures.

The account (deposit) may be opened in the credit organisation without the personal presence of the beneficiary natural person of the opened account (deposit) under the condition that the account is opened in the presence of the person opening the account (deposit) or his representative.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 15n of February 4, 2005 on the Invalidation of the Orders of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation <br>

Pursuant to the Decision of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 9352/04 of September 8, 2004, invalidates from September 8, 2004 the Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. BG-3-22/135 of March 26, 2003 with amendments. According to the mentioned Decision, the duty of organisations to record in the tax registers the figures of economic activities other than those affecting calculation of the taxable base and the uniform tax contradicts the norms of Chapter 26.2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 1, 2005. Reg. No. 6369.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. 68 of January 31, 2005 on the Qualification Requirements to the Chiefs of the Customs Stations <br>

The chief of the customs station must have a higher professional education, length of state service in the leading state positions at least two years or the length of work in the speciality at least three years, as well as master the legislation of the Russian Federation necessary for the execution of his official duties.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 21, 2005. Reg. No. 6342.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. MM-6-01/119@ of February 11, 2005 on the Acceptance of Tax Declarations <br>

If a new form of the tax declaration is adopted after accepting the tax declaration by the tax body, or the form being in effect is amended, the taxpayer does not need to submit the tax declaration according to the newly endorsed form.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 106 of March 2, 2005 on the Liquidation of the Federal Fund of Support of Small Businesses <br>

Pursuant to the invalidation from January 1, 2005 of Article 8 of the Federal Law on the state support of small businesses in the Russian Federation, liquidates the Federal Fund of Support of Small Businesses.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 105 of March 2, 2005 on the Fixing of the Cost of Living in Per Capita Figures and for the Main Socio-Demographic Groups of Population in the Russian Federation for the IV Quarter of 2004 <br>

The cost of living for the whole of the Russian Federation for the IV quarter of 2004 in per capita figures is fixed in the amount of Rbl 2,451, Rbl 2,690 for the able-bodied population, Rbl 1,849 for pensioners, Rbl 2,394 for children.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 98 of March 1, 2005 on the Procedure of Determination of the Amount of Payment for the Borrowed Material Values from the State Material Reserve <br>

Amount of payment for the borrowing is determined by the Federal Agency for State Reserves taking into account the statement of the formed interagency board including representatives of the Federal Agency for State Reserve, Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance of Russia. The payment for the borrowing may not be greater than the discount rate of the Bank of Russia. The minimum payment for the borrowing is fixed in the amount of one hundredth of the mentioned discount rate as of the day of conclusion of the contract.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 97 of March 1, 2005 on the Governmental Commission for Technical Regulation <br>

The Governmental Commission for Technical Regulation is a coordinating body formed to provide for coordinated actions of the federal bodies of executive power in the sphere of technical regulation.

The Commission shall handle the issues of the state of things in the sphere of registration of cases of damage to health and life of citizens, property of natural persons or legal entities, state or municipal property, environment, life or health of animals and plants taking into account the degree of such damage because of the violation of technical regulations.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 243 of March 3, 2005 on Amendments to the List of Information Qualified As the State Secret Endorsed by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1203 of November 30, 1995

Amends the list of information in the sphere of economy, science and technology qualified as the state secret pertaining to the state reserves of precious metals and stones.

The Decree shall apply to legal relations emerging after February 18, 2004.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 115 of March 3, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Import Customs Duty for Rice and Flours and Groats of It

Endorses for 9 months the new import rates for rice and fours and groats of it (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia 1006, 1103 19 500 0, 1103 20 500 0, 1104 19 910 0 and 1108 19 100 0) in the amount of EUR 0.07 per kg (earlier, 10% of the customs cost).

The Decision shall enter into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 110 of March 2, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure for the State Enforcement of Activities in the Sphere of Communication

Before the adoption of the special normative legal act, the state inspectors in charge of enforcement of communication and information technologies shall be entitled to enter freely administrative and technological rooms and structures (objects) of communication of civil destination while presenting their service identification document to implement their authority in the specified sphere of activities.

The state enforcement of activities in the sphere of communication on the territory of the Russian Federation and the territories supervised by the Russian Federation is vested in the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Communication. The state enforcement includes enforcement and control over observation by legal entities, independent entrepreneurs and natural persons of obligatory requirements and norms specified in the normative legal acts in the sphere of communication, as well as control over observation of legislation of the Russian Federation on the licensing in the sphere of communication.

Enforcement and control over observation of requirements in the sphere of communication includes arranging and implementation of checks.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 107 of March 2, 2005 on the Measures to Implement the Federal Law on the Federal Budget for the Year 2005

For the year 2005, specifies the limit of granted tax credits, respites and extension plans for the payment of federal taxes and fees in the amount not greater than Rbl 1,000 million, and not greater than Rbl 500 million for commodities moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation.

The recipient of the budget resources, when he concludes contracts covered from the federal budget for communication services, subscription for printed matter and its purchase, professional development courses, purchase of air and railway tickets, tickets for the urban and suburban transport, as well as accommodations for sanatorium and resort treatment, may envisage advance payments in the amount of 100%. For other contracts, it is permitted to envisage advance payments in the amount of 30% of the contract volume.

The Decision lists the acts of the Government of the Russian Federation prolonged for the year 2005 pursuant to the adoption of the Federal Law on the federal budget for the year 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 108 of March 2, 2005 on the Uniform State Examination Arranged in 2005

In 2005, continues the experiment of introduction of the uniform state examination providing for the combining of the state (final) certification of the leavers of the 11th (12th) forms of institutions of secondary education and entrance examinations to institutions of higher and secondary professional education.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 99 of March 1, 2005 on Invalidation of the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 295 of May 20, 2003

The invalidated Decision empowered the Ministry of Property Relations with the authority of the representative of the owner of the property of the debtor - the state unitary enterprise - in bankruptcy proceedings.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 111 of March 2, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Rendering Services in Passenger Transportation on the Railway Transport, As Well As the Cargo and Luggage Transportation for Personal, Family, Household and Other Needs Other Than Entrepreneurial Activities

The endorsed rules shall regulate relations between the carriers and passenger natural persons, consignors (shippers) and consignees (recipients) when the services are rendered on the railway transport to deliver passengers, as well as cargo and luggage for personal, family, household and other needs other than entrepreneurial activities.

All mentioned users shall enjoy the same terms of services and payment for the services.

The Decision introduces the duty of the carrier to provide on the timely basis and free of charge in explicit and easily accessible form the listed information to users of his services.

However, the issue of certificates in writing, including the ones not pertaining to the rendered services, is charged according to the procedure defined in the rules of transportation of passengers, cargo and luggage.

When travelling in a long-distance train, the passenger may, in particular, make stops on the way prolonging the travel document (ticket) for up to 10 days, or for the period of illness if confirmed with the documents of a medical institution. The passenger may also renew the travel document (ticket) for another train on condition of additional payment for the seat if he is late for the train for up to 12 hours, or within 5 days because of the illness or accident, from the moment of departure of the train for which the travel document (ticket) was purchased for, or get back the cost of the travel less the cost of the seat in case of a refusal to travel.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-04-11/21 of February 8, 2005 on the Putting Forward of Invoices

The invoices in cases of sale of services in the leasing of immovable property may be put forward no sooner than the end of the tax period when the above services were actually rendered.

Federal Constitutional Law No. 1-FKZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to the Federal Constitutional Law on the State Flag of the Russian Federation and the Federal Constitutional Law on the Emergency Situation Pertaining to Measures of Improvement of State Management in the Sphere of Safeguarding and Protection of the State Border of the Russian Federation

In view of prevalence of the operative method of safeguarding the state border of the Russian Federation over the use of troops, the notion of the "border guard troops" is removed from the mentioned Federal Constitutional Laws while leaving the notion of the "border guard bodies".

Federal Law No. 16-FZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to Articles 9 and 22.1 of the Federal Law on the Securities Market

Introduces the duty of the organiser of trade at the securities market to notify the federal body of executive power in charge of the securities market of inclusion (exclusion) of securities in the list (from the list) of securities permitted for tenders no later than the following day after the date of adoption of the appropriate decision.

Specifies that the securities prospectus may be singed, at the issuer disposal, by the financial advisor at the securities market, thus confirming the authenticity and completeness of all information contained in the securities prospectus, except for the part confirmed by the auditor and/or assessor. Earlier, in cases of public placing or public circulation of emission securities, the securities prospectus must have been signed on the obligatory basis by the financial advisor.

Federal Law No. 15-FZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation and Invalidation of Individual Provisions of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pertaining to the Measures of Improvement of State Management in the Sphere of Safeguarding and Protection of the State Border of the Russian Federation

Since the work of the border guard bodies and the border guard troops at present reached such level of uniformity and interaction that they actually cannot be separated structurally, the notion of the "border guard troops" is removed from the federal legislation. The structure of the border guard bodies and the border guard troops is being brought in compliance with the structure of the Federal Security Service.

Federal Law No. 14-FZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to Article 8.8 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation

Introduces administrative liability for the failure to use the land plot intended for agricultural production or housing or another construction, for the designated purpose within the time limits specified in the federal law. The mentioned violation may imply an administrative fine: from 5 to 10 minimum amounts of labour remuneration for citizens, from 10 to 20 minimum amounts of labour remuneration for officials, from 100 to 200 minimum amounts of labour remuneration for legal entities.

Federal Law No. 13-FZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to Articles 17 and 18 of the RSFSR Law on Competition and Restriction of Monopolist Activities at Commodity Markets

The amendments envisage a significant increase of the threshold values of the cost of assets specified in Articles 17 and 18 of the Law.

According to the amendments, the merger or incorporation of commercial organisations with the total balance cost of the assets according to the most recent balance report being greater than 30 million (earlier, 200,000) minimum amounts of labour remuneration shall occur with preliminary consent of the antimonopoly body.

The founders (participants) must notify the antimonopoly body, within 45 days from the day of the state registration, of the creation of commercial organisations, as well as of their merger or incorporation, if the total cost of the assets according to the most recent balance report is greater than 2 million (earlier, 200,000 and 100,000 respectively) minimum amounts of labour remuneration.

Preliminary consent of the antimonopoly body in cases of purchase of stocks (shares) in the registered capital of commercial organisations must be obtained if the total cost of the assets according to the most recent balance report of the buyers is greater than 30 million (earlier, 200,000) minimum amounts of labour remuneration. If the total cost of the assets is greater than 2 million (earlier, 100,000) minimum amounts of labour remuneration, the committed transaction must be reported to the antimonopoly body.

Federal Law No. 12-FZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on Organisation of Insurance Work in the Russian Federation and to Article 2 of the Federal Law on Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on Organisation of Insurance Work in the Russian Federation and Invalidation of Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

The amendments refine the norms of increase of the amount of the registered capital by insurers and of the bringing of the types of insurance activities in compliance with the specified classification. The Law extends the time limit before which reinsurance companies and insurance brokers must obtain licenses: from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2007. Insurance organisations must obtain licenses for reinsurance activities before expiry of this date.

The amendments also envisage opportunities for Russian insurers to conclude contracts of reinsurance with foreign insurance organisations involving international insurance brokers.

Persons implementing the functions of the sole executive body and chief accountant of the insurance organisation with foreign investments must be living permanently on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Pursuant to the entry into force from January 1, 2005 of Chapter 25.3 "The State Duty" of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, invalidates Article 32.2 specifying the amount of payment for the issue of the license. A new wording is provided for Article 32.8 defining the procedure of termination of insurance activities of the subject of insurance business or its liquidation because of the revocation of the license.

Federal Law No. 11-FZ of March 7, 2005 on the Restrictions on the Retail Sale and Consumption (Drinking) of Beer and Drinks Made on Its Basis

Introduces restrictions on the retail sale and consumption (drinking) of beer with the content of ethyl alcohol greater than 0.5% of the volume of the finished product and drinks made on its basis for the purpose of protection of morale and health of people, the underage, first and foremost.

Retail sale and consumption (drinking) of the mentioned commodities shall be prohibited in child, educational and medical organisations, on all types of public transport, as well as organisations of culture, rehabilitation and sports buildings. The sale of beer and drinks made on its basis shall be prohibited in all cases to the underage. Therefore, consumption (drinking) of such drinks shall be prohibited for the underage in any public places.

The places prohibited for retail sale, including the sale of draft drinks, and consumption (drinking) of beer and drinks made on its basis shall be defined by the bodies of local government.

The Federal Law is entered into force thirty days after the date of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 10-FZ of March 7, 2005 on Amendments to Article 16 of the Federal Law on the Circulation of Lands of Agricultural Destination

From 2 to 4 years extends the period when the owners of land shares may redraw the earlier concluded lease contracts in compliance with the rules of the Civil Code and provisions of Item 2 of Article 9 of the Federal Law on the circulation of lands of agricultural destination.

The Federal Law shall be entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 9-FZ of March 7, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the French Republic on the Facilitation, on the Mutual Basis, of the Terms of Entry, Travel and Exit for the Citizens of the Russian Federation the Citizens of the French Republic

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on June 15, 2004.

Federal Law No. 8-FZ of March 7, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Italian Republic on the Simplification of Issue of Visas to the Citizens of the Russian Federation and the Citizens of the Italian Republic

Ratifies the Agreement singed in Moscow on June 15, 2004.

Federal Law No. 7-FZ of March 7, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Kirghiz Republic on Cooperation in the Security Sphere

Ratifies the Agreement singed in Bishkek on December 5, 2002.

Federal Law No. 6-FZ of March 7, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Mutual Planning of the Use of Troops (Forces) in the Interests of Mutual Security of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on January 16, 2004.

Order of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being No. 101 of January 25, 2005 on the Procedure for Carrying out Sanitary and Epidemiological Expert Evaluations, Investigations, Surveys, Testing and Toxicology, Hygienic and Other Types of Assessments

Defines the rules of carrying out sanitary and epidemiological expert evaluations, investigations, surveys, testing and toxicology, hygienic and other types of assessments arranged by the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being, federal state public-health institutions providing for activities of the bodies in charge of the state sanitary and epidemiological enforcement, as well as other accredited organisations.

The grounds for the mentioned measures shall be the orders of chief state sanitary physicians or their deputies, as well as applications signed by citizens, independent entrepreneurs, legal entities.

The orders to arrange expert evaluations shall be issued by chief state sanitary physicians (their deputies) to the federal state public-health institutions, citizens, independent entrepreneurs, legal entities and are obligatory for execution within specified time limits.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 3, 2005. Reg. No. 6381.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1559-U of March 1, 2005 on the Invalidation of the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 812-U of June 30, 2000 on the Procedure of Submission by Credit Organisations to the Bank of Russia in the Electronic Form of Reports Envisaged in the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 7-U of October 24, 1997 on the Procedure of Drawing up and Submission of Reports of Credit Organisations to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation Certified with an Electronic Digital Signature

The Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 812-U of June 30, 2000 shall be invalidated pursuant to the adoption of the Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1546-U of January 24, 2005.

The Direction shall enter into force from July 1, 2005.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 35-T of February 28, 2005 on the Methodology Recommendations on the Analysis of Financial Reports Drawn up by Credit Organisations in Compliance with International Accounting and Reporting Standards

Analysis of financial reports for the period beginning on January 1, 2004 and ending on September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2004 is arranged using the method of comparison of the figures and information of the activities of credit organisations in accordance with international accounting and reporting standards and reports drawn up to the Russian rules of accounting work. Significant deviations, in particular, are considered to be the ones in the figures of the bank's normative of sufficiency of own resources (capital) (N1).

The Letter lists 14 forms of reports used as the basis for comparative analysis pertaining to the Russian reports.

Results of the analysis shall be used for banking enforcement purposes.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-03-01-02/65 of February 25, 2005 on the Procedure of Filling of the Declaration for the Profit Tax from Organisations in Pursuance of the Provisions of the Federal Laws No. 95-FZ of July 29, 2004, No. 107-FZ of August 20, 2004 and No. 204-FZ of December 29, 2004

Before the endorsement of the new form of the tax declaration for the profit tax from organisations, as well as its filling procedure, the taxpayers shall submit to the tax bodies tax declarations for this tax drawn up using the form endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Taxation of the Russian Federation No. BG-3-02/614 of November 11, 2003. The Letter defines the particulars of filling of the declaration taking into account the amendments to Chapter 25 "Profit Tax from Organisations" of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

The Letter explains the particulars of filling of the tax declaration by non-state pension funds beginning with reporting periods of 2005 when the taxpayers get tied resources, as well as the particulars of recording of individual operations with securities and incomes from shared participation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 125 of March 12, 2005 on the Amendments to the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation Pertaining to Component Parts for Washing Machines

Refines the rates of the import customs duties for component parts for washing machines. Commodities classified under codes 8450 90 000 0 and 8501 40 910 9 of the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature shall be imported duty free. The rate of the import customs duty for electric water heaters installed with an insulated frame with the power rating at least 1,400 W, however, not greater than 1,500 W (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature 8516 80 910) is fixed in the amount of 5% of the customs cost, for other component parts (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature 8516 80 910 9) - in the amount of 15% of the customs cost.

The Decision shall enter into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 123 of March 10, 2005 on the Authority of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation to Render Aid to Children Having Found Themselves Without Parental Support in Accommodation in Families for Bringing up

The Ministry of Education and Science is a federal operator of the state databank of children having found themselves without parental support. This Ministry is vested with authority to issue permissions to open representations of the bodies and organisations specially authorised by foreign states in charge of adoption of children on the territory of the Russian Federation and control of their activities.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 122 of March 10, 2005 on the Non-Application of the Rate of the Export Customs Duty for Mineral Fertilisers

The rate of the export customs duty specified by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1198 of October 28, 1999 in the amount of 5% of the customs cost shall not apply to mineral or chemical fertilisers containing three nutrient elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of Russia 3105 20).

The Decision shall enter into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Order of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation No. 9 of January 27, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Introduction of the Special, Simplified Procedures of Customs Registration for Individual Entities

Introduces the special, simplified procedures of customs registration for individual entities importing commodities, as well as a procedure of keeping records of commercial documentation by such entities. The Order lists the documents and information necessary for the introduction of the mentioned procedures, as well as the procedure of their submission and examination. The categories of entities that may enjoy simplified procedures of customs registration are listed in Article 68 of the Customs Code. In particular, the mentioned procedures may be introduced for the entities keeping records of their commercial documentation in a way permitting the customs bodies to compare the information contained in them and information presented to the customs bodies during customs registration of commodities, as well as for those engaged in foreign-trade activities for at least three years.

The following special simplified procedures may be introduced: temporary storage of commodities available under the customs control at the warehouse(s) of the applicant; preliminary declaring of commodities while submitting an incomplete or incomplete periodic customs declaration; declaring of commodities available under the customs control at the warehouse(s) of the applicant while submitting a periodic customs declaration; release of commodities before submission of the customs declaration.

Application of the special simplified procedures invalidates the provisions of the normative legal acts imposing restrictions on the places of declaring of individual commodities, as well as the authority of the customs bodies.

The Order shall enter into force 10 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 3, 2005. Reg. No. 6377.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 118 of March 6, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Development of the Perspective Financial Plan of the Russian Federation and the Draft Federal Law on the Federal Budget for the Subsequent Fiscal Year

The perspective financial plan of the Russian Federation and the draft federal law on the federal budget for the subsequent fiscal year are worked out proceeding from scenarios of the functioning of the economy of the country for the average-term period and the forecast of socio-economic development for the subsequent fiscal year and the average-term perspective.

The perspective financial plan is worked out proceeding from the need to create conditions to provide for a balanced development in three stages. At the first stage, the main directions of the tax policy and customs policy are begin developed and approved, the main figures of the summary financial balance of the Russian Federation, as well as the terms of the scenarios. At the second stage, the main figures of the perspective financial plan are being worked out and approved, as well as the main directions of the debts policy. At the third stage, the draft perspective financial plan is being developed and approved.

The Decision defines the main requirements to the draft federal budget.

Letter of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-OV-02-5/2940 of March 2, 2005 on the Registration (Re-Registration) in the Register of Certified Persons

The registration (re-registration) of the certified persons to the requirements of the Regulation on the specialists of the securities market endorsed by the Decision of the Federal Commission for Securities Market of Russia No. 03-47/ps of December 24, 2003 shall be carried out regardless of the fact of taking professional development courses by the certified persons in one of the educational centres or the fact of passing of an additional qualification examination. However, two years after the date of the entry into force of the mentioned Regulation, certified persons must present to the authorised organisation (territorial body of the Service) having accepted the documents for the registration (re-registration) a copy of the document confirming the fact of professional development in an educational centre, or an excerpt from the protocol of the examination commission of the results of passing of an additional examination.

Telegram of the Federal Customs Service No. TF-369 of February 28, 2005

Before the entry into force of the special acts on the implementation of the functions of state control of the quality of grains in the country, customs registration of exported grains shall be done using the sanitary and epidemiological statements and the phyto-sanitary certificates, and the products of their processing - compliance certificates.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of March 15, 2005 on the Case of Constitutionality of Provisions of Item 2 of Article 278 and Article 279 of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation and Paragraph 2 of Item 4 of Article 69 of the Federal Law on Joint-Stock Companies Pursuant to the Requests of the Volkhovsky City Court of the Leningrad Province, Oktyabrsky Regional Court of the City of Stavropol and Appeals of a Number of Citizens

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation provisions of Item 2 of Article 278 of the Labour Code and Paragraph 2 of Item 4 of Article 69 of the Federal Law on joint-stock companies permitting to discontinue the labour contract with the head of the organisation pursuant to the decision on the early discontinuation of the labour contract taken by the authorised body of the legal entity, including the board of directors (supervisory board) of the joint-stock company, or the owner of the property of the organisation, or the person (body) authorised by the owner. The mentioned provisions imply that discontinuation of the labour contract in the given case is not a measure of legal liability not permitted without a fair compensation, the amount being defined in the labour contract, i.e. agreement between the parties, or court ruling in case of a dispute. The revealed constitutional and legal meaning of the mentioned norms is obligato ry to all and excludes any other interpretation of them in judicial practice.

Not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation is recognised to be Article 279 of the Labour Code stating that in case of a discontinuation of the labour contract with the head of the organisation before the expiry of its effective term at the decision of the authorised body or the owner in the absence of guilty activities (failure to act) on the part of the head of the organisation, he shall be entitled for a compensation for the early discontinuation of the labour contract with him in the amount specified in the labour contract. The given Article is in violation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation where it permits for an early discontinuation of the labour contract with the head of the organisation without a fair compensation without specifying the guaranteed minimum amount of compensation due to the head of the organisation in the mentioned case. Before the necessary changes are introduced in the legislation, the mentioned guaranteed minimum amount of compensation may not be lower than the one envisaged in the actual legislation for similar situations of discontinuation of the labour contract with the head of the organisation because of the circumstances beyond his control.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1550-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendments to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 112-I of March 31, 2004 on the Obligatory Normatives for Credit Organisations Issuing Mortgage Coverage Bonds

The Instruction excludes references to the general liquidity normative N5.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6394.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1553-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendment to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 191-P of July 30, 2002 on the Consolidated Reports

The amendments are introduced in the commentaries to the estimate of obligatory normatives on the basis of consolidated reports. According to the amendments, liquidity normatives (N2-N4, N14) of the group must not be calculated and reported to the Bank of Russia. The Direction excludes a reference to the liquidity normative (N5).

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6393.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 23n of February 17, 2005 on the Amendment to Appendix 2 to the Instruction on the Procedure of Filling of the Tax Declaration for the Uniform Imputed Income Tax for Individual Types of Activities Endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 96n of November 1, 2004

Provides a new wording for the table of codes of the types of entrepreneurial activities and the value of basic profitability per unit of physical indicator.

The Order shall apply beginning with the estimates for the I quarter of 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6392.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1549-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendments to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 110-I of January 16, 2004 on the Bank's Obligatory Normatives

Excludes the bank's general liquidity normative (N5) regulating (restricting) the general risk of loosing liquidity by the bank and defining the minimum correlation of liquidity assets to the total bank assets.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6391.

Order of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication of the Russian Federation No. 24 of March 4, 2005 on the Organisation of Work to License Activities in the Sphere of Communication Services

The Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Communication is ordered to organise the work in the licensing of activities in the sphere of communication services.

Endorses the blank form of the license of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Communication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 11, 2005. Reg. No. 6390.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1555-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendment to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 241-P of November 26, 2003 on the Interim Administration in Charge of the Management of the Credit Organisation

Specifies that the balance cost of the assets of the credit organisation is determined according to the information of Line 11 of Column 3 of the Reporting Form 0409806 "Accounting Balance Report (Published Form)" of Appendix 1 to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1376-U of January 16, 2004. Earlier, the balance cost of the assets of the credit organisation was determined as a symbol "A" value used for the calculation of the obligatory normative of general liquidity (N5).

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 11, 2005. Reg. No. 6387.

Regulation of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance on the Procedure of Allocation of Subsidies for Obligatory Medical Insurance for Non-Working Population (Children) from the Resources of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance (Endorsed by the Management Board of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance on December 25, 2004, No. 2A/2a)

Expenses for obligatory medical insurance for non-working population (children) are allocated from the resources envisaged for these purposes in the item of the budget of the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance for the current fiscal year in accordance with the functional classification of expenses of the budgets of the Russian Federation. Distribution of the subsidies to territorial funds is arranged proceeding form the average listed number of children insured under the obligatory medical insurance in the subject of the Russian Federation, taking into account the level of the budget security of the subject of the Russian Federation and the coefficient of increase of the cost of the conditional unit of the budget services. Application for the subsidy is submitted by the territorial fund until January 30 of the appropriate year according to the specimen specified by the Federal Fund of Obligatory Medical Insurance. The prerequisite for the granting of the subsidy is the payment of insurance contribut ions for obligatory medical insurance for non-working population by the regional bodies of executive power of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 11, 2005. Reg. No. 6384.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 128 of March 16, 2005 on the Amendment to Appendix 3 to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 482 of September 17, 2004

The list of officials whose service vehicles are outfitted with special state registration plates shall include also the Chairman of the Interagency Commission for the Protection of the State Secret, Director of the Federal Service of Export and Technical Control of Russia.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 277-r of March 15, 2005

Approves the concept of creation of the state system of making, drawing up and control of passport and visa documents of new generation defining the legal, social, organisational-and-technical and financial-and-economic fundamentals for introduction in the Russian Federation of the passport and visa documents containing biometric information of their holders.

The new generation passport and visa documents include the documents identifying the citizens of the Russian Federation abroad, entry visas, residence permits issued to foreign citizens or stateless persons, as well as travel documents to refugees.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1562-U of March 11, 2005 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1376-U of January 16, 2004 on the List, Forms and Procedure of Drawing up and Submission of the Forms of Reports of Credit Organisations to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation

Endorsed the new Reporting Form 0409909 "Information on the Accounts Opened to the Federal Institutions in Credit Organisations (Their Branches) to Register Operations with Resources from Entrepreneurial and Other Profitable Activities" and its drawing up procedure.

Credit organisations (their branches) shall draw up and submit to the territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia reports drawn up to Form 0409909 on the quarterly basis as of the 1st of the month following the reported quarter.

The report includes information on the accounts opened for the federal institutions on the Balance Account 40503 "Accounts of the Federally Owned Organisations. Non-Commercial Organisations" to register operations with resources from entrepreneurial and other profitable activities in the currency of the Russian Federation and foreign currencies.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registration pending in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1561-U of March 11, 2005 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1375-U of January 16, 2004 on the Rules of Drawing up and Submission of Reports by Credit Organisations to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation

The amendments specify that the time limits for submission of reports are extended by the number of non-working holidays if they are defined in calendar days, and are not extended if they are defined as a fixed date (day of the month).

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registration pending in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 129 of March 16, 2005 on the Amendments to the Regulation on the Procedure for Carrying out Military Training of the Citizens of the Russian Federation Being in the Reserve

The amendments pertain to the procedure and amounts of material support for the citizens undergoing military training.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation No. 97/88 of February 17, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Specimen of the Blank Form of the Migration Card and Technical Requirements to It

Endorses the specimen of the blank form of the migration card and technical requirements to it. The technical requirements specify its composition, size, text volume and layout, colour and method of making.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6399.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 1 of January 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Federal Aviation Rules "Flight Checks of the Ground Means of Flight Radio Technical Support, Aviation Telecommunication and Systems of Light Signalling Equipment of the Air Fields of Civil Aviation"

The Federal Aviation Rules define organisation and procedure for carrying out and documenting the results of aviation works of flight checks arranged to confirm compliance of parameters and characteristics of the ground means of flight radio technical support, communication and systems of light signalling equipment with the requirements of the normative and technical documentation to provide for the safety and regularity of air traffic.

The Federal Aviation Rules are obligatory for guidance and execution by all natural persons and legal entities engaged in operation of the ground means of flight radio technical support, communication and systems of light signalling equipment, air traffic control (servicing), operation of laboratory air vessels, as well as control of observation of the present Federal Aviation Rules.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 10, 2005. Reg. No. 6383.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 132 of March 17, 2005 on Additional Measurers to Regulate the Import of Beef, Pork and Poultry Meet

In cases of introduction in 2005 by the Federal Service of Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Enforcement of a full or partial prohibition to import beef, pork or poultry meet, fresh, chilled or frozen, from any of the supplier states (union of states) because of an unfavourable epizootic situation, the importer may redraw his license for a license for the import of the same commodity from any other state in the same amount regardless of the volume of the fixed quota.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 131 of March 17, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Export Customs Duty for Raw Oil and Raw Oil Products from Bituminous Materials 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 and raw oil products from bituminous materials (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2709 00) is increased from USD 83 to USD 102.6 per ton.

The Decision is entered into force from April 1, 2005.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service and the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation No. MM-6-10/143/07-125V of February 18, 2005 on the Amendments to the Letter of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia and the Savings Bank of Russia No. FS-8-10/1199/04-5198 of September 10, 2001 on the New Blank Forms of Payment Documents for the Transfer of Taxes (Fees), Penalties and Fines by Natural Person Taxpayers to the Budget System of the Russian Federation: Form N PD (Tax) and Form N PD-4sb (Tax)

Instead of the earlier endorsed Forms PD (tax) and PD-4sb (tax), introduces the new, uniform blank form of the payment document, Form N PD (tax). The payment document shall be used by natural persons for payments to the budgets of all levels of the budget system of the Russian Federation to transfer taxes (fees), penalties and fines through separate structural divisions of the Savings Bank of Russia. The blank form shall also be filled and sent to the natural person taxpayers together with the tax notification in compliance with Article 52 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation or together with the tax (fee) payment demand in compliance with Article 69 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

The amendments are entered into force from May 1, 2005.

Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 4-P of March 22, 2005 on the Case of Constitutionality of a Number of Provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation Regulating the Procedure and Time Limits of Application of Detention As a Preventive Punishment at the Stages of Criminal Proceedings Following Preliminary Investigation and Sending the Case to Court Pursuant to Appeals of a Number of Citizens

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognised as complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation Part 10 of Article 108, Parts 10 and 11 of Article 109 and Part 1 of Article 255 of the Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation permitting the court to examine at its own initiative the issue of application of detention to the accused as a preventive punishment, since the provisions contained in them do not permit the court to take decision on the mentioned issue without investigating the evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence confirming the presence or absence of the grounds to apply the given preventive punishment.

Article 227, Article 228, Part 2 of Article 229 of the Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation and Part 2 and Part 3 of Article 255, Article 410 and Article 411 of this Code normatively connected with them are also recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation, since the provisions contained in them do not permit to detain the accused without a court ruling after the case is sent to the court by the prosecutor or the higher court.

The Decision confirms the constitutionality of Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 110, Part 3 of Article 255, Part 7 of Article 410, Part 1 of Article 411 of the Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation, since the provisions contained in them do not permit for an arbitrary, uncontrolled by the court prolongation of the period of detention of the accused and do not exempt the court from the duty to process the case within reasonable time limits.

Article 227, Part 2 of Article 228, Part 2 and Part 3 of Article 231, Article 477 (Appendix 15) of the Code of Criminal Procedures of the Russian Federation, where it specifies the procedure of taking the decision on the preventive punishment by the judge during preparation for the court session, are recognised as not contradicting the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The provisions contained in them suggest providing to the accused the right to participate in the examination of the issue of application of detention as a preventive punishment by the court, prolongation of the period of detention or leaving the given preventive punishment unchanged.

The Decision is entered into force immediately after annunciation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 139 of March 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Carrying out of the Annual Audit Check of Accounting Work and Financial (Accounting) Reports Pertaining to Generation and Investing of Resources of Accumulated Pensions, As Well As Financing of Payments at the Expense of Resources of Accumulated Pensions

The goal of the audit check is the forming of opinion on compliance with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation of the procedure of keeping by the specialised depositary and the management companies of accounting work and reports pertaining to generation and investing of resources of accumulated pensions and financing of payments at the expense of resources of accumulated pensions.

The audit check shall be arranged separately for operations under each contract for the services of the specialised depositary concluded with management companies providing trust control of resources of accumulated pensions, as well as the Pension Fund of Russia.

The audit statements (beginning with financial (accounting) reports for the year 2004) shall be submitted by the specialised depositary and the management companies to the Federal Service for Financial Markets within 90 days after the end of the year and shall be published in mass media together with reports of resources of accumulated pensions and financial results of their investing.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 16 of March 4, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Entry of Records of the Rights for the Enterprise As a Property Complex and Transactions with It in the Joint State Register of the Rights for Immovable Property and Transactions with It and of Interaction between the Federal Registration Service and Its Territorial Bodies

Specifies the procedure of entry of records on the rights for the enterprise as a property complex and transactions with it in the Joint State Register of the Rights for Immovable Property and Transactions with It, as well as the procedure of interaction of the Federal Registration Service and its territorial bodies.

The state registration of the rights, restrictions (encumbrances) of the rights for the enterprise and transactions with it shall be vested in the Federal Registration Service. The rights for the land plots and other objects of immovable property comprising the enterprise, their restrictions (encumbrances), transactions with the given objects of immovable property must be registered by the territorial bodies of the Federal Registration Service at the place of location of the given objects.

The Order provides the form of the report of acceptance of application for the state registration of the right, restriction (encumbrance) of the right for the enterprise, transactions with it.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 17, 2005. Reg. No. 6404.

Information of the Central Bank of Russia of March 21, 2005 on the Change of the Structure of the Bicurrency Basket - an Operational Benchmark for the Rates Policy of the Bank of Russia

Increases the share of euro from 0.1 to 0.2 in the bicurrency basket from March 15, 2005. The increase of the share of euro in the bicurrency basket is aimed at the further equalisation of the intraday volatility of the rouble rate to the US dollar and other foreign currencies significant for the Russian Federation and took into account adaptation of the participants of the internal currency market to the new conditions of rate forming.

Federal Law No. 24-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Terms of Stay of the Secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Territory of the Russian Federation

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on December 19, 2003.

Federal Law No. 23-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Ratification of the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage

Ratifies the Convention signed in Vienna on May 8, 1996.

Federal Law No. 22-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 839 of Part 2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation

According to the amendments, the interest on the amount of the bank deposit shall accrue until the day of its return to the depositor inclusive, and if it is written off from the depositor account for other reasons, until the day of writing off inclusive. Earlier, the interest was accrued until the day preceding the return of the amount of the deposit or its writing off from the account for other reasons. Thus, the period of accruing of interest to depositors is increased by one day.

Federal Law No. 20-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pursuant to Implementation of the Aviation Safety Measures on the Air Transport

The amendments create fundamentals for interaction of the bodies of internal affairs and aviation safety services to provide for the aviation safety in the Russian airports. According to the amendments, the work of the aviation safety services operating independently in issues of airport security and personal examination shall involve employees of the bodies of internal affairs on the transport.

The Law specifies, in particular, that obligatory certification of legal entities directly engaged in aviation safety work, as well as certification of their employees, shall involve representatives of the authorised federal body of executive power in the sphere of internal affairs.

To provide for the aviation safety, the carriers shall hand over to the law enforcement bodies personal information on the passengers of air vessels contained in transportation documents.

Federal Law No. 19-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Amendments to the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation

Enhances administrative liability for the driver refusal to pass medical examination to test drunken driving. Such violation shall imply the driver's license suspension for one and half to two years (earlier, implied an administrative fine of 10 to 20 minimum amount of labour remuneration or license suspension for one year).

The Federal Law is entered into force 30 days after the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 18-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Resources of the Federal Budget Allocated to the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation to Reimburse the Payment of Insurance Contributions for the Child Care Period before He Reaches One and a Half Years of Age and the Period of the Draft Military Service

Defines the procedure of allocation to the Pension Fund of resources of the federal budget to reimburse the payment of insurance contributions for the child care period before he reaches one and a half years of age and the period of the draft military service, as well as the procedure of calculation of these resources. The amount of allocated resources is determined by multiplying the cost of insurance year as of the day of fixing the insured part of the labour pension by the length of non-insured periods. The period of one month is processed as one twelfth of the year, and the period of one day is processed as on thirtieth of the month. The cost of the insurance year is endorsed on the annual basis by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Federal Law No. 17-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Amendments to Article 4 of the Federal Law on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Adoption of the Federal Law on Credit Histories

Amends the part of the Law extending the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation with new Articles 14.28 "Illegal Obtaining or Granting of the Credit Report" and 14.29 "Violation of the Established Procedure of Collection, Storage, Protection and Processing of Information Comprising the Credit History". Since the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation is also supplemented with Article 14.28 from June 1, 2005 pursuant to the Federal Law No. 219-FZ of December 30, 2004, the Law adjusts the numbering of the mentioned Articles.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 149 of March 21, 2005 on the Procedure of Conclusion of Agreements between the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation and the Bodies of Executive Power of the Subjects of the Russian Federation on the Measures to Improve the Efficiency of Use of the Budget Resources and Increase the Tax and Non-Tax Incomes of the Budget of the Subject of the Russian Federation, As Well As Control over Their Execution

The endorsed rules shall regulate relations pertaining to agreements concluded with the subjects of the Russian Federation where the share of grants from the Federal Fund of Financial Support of the Subjects of the Russian Federation in the total volume of own incomes within the two of the most recent three reporting years was greater than 50%.

The grants from the mentioned Fund and budget credits from the federal budget are provided on condition of concluding agreements by the Ministry of Finance of Russia with these subjects of the Russian Federation on the measures to improve the efficiency of use of the budget resources and increase the tax and non-tax incomes of the budget of the subject of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 145 of March 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rates of the Export Customs Duties for 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 light and medium distillates, gas oils, benzene, toluene, xylene, oils, propane, butanes, ethylene, propylene, butylene, butadiene, other liquefied gases, as well as oil coke, oil asphalt and other residues of oil processing, is increased from USD 68.2 to USD 81.4 per ton.

Also increases the rate of the export customs duty for liquid fuels (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2710 19 510 0-2710 19 690 0) from USD 36.7 to USD 43.8 per ton.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1552-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1379-U of January 16, 2004 on the Assessment of the Bank's Financial Stability to Recognise It Sufficient for Participation in the Deposit Insurance System

Pursuant to the exclusion of the bank's general liquidity normative (N5) specifies that the bank's general liquidity figures will consist of the figure of the average obligatory reserves (PL8) and the figure of obligatory reserves (PL9).

The figure of the average obligatory reserves (PL8) characterises the absence (presence) with the bank of the fact of failure to observe the duty to average the obligatory reserves. The figure is assessed for the month preceding the reporting date of the calculation of the figures of financial stability. If the bank does not use the average obligatory reserves in the analysed period, the PL8 figure is assumed to be 1.

The figure of obligatory reserves (PL9) characterises an absence (presence) with the bank of the facts of underpaid amounts of obligatory reserves. The figure is assessed in calendar days of the length of underpaid amount for the month preceding the reporting date of the calculation of the figures of financial stability.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 21, 2005. Reg. No. 6414.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1554-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendment to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 246-P of January 5, 2004 on the Procedure of Drawing up of Consolidated Reports by the Parent Credit Organisation of the Bank/Consolidated Group

The amendments are introduced pursuant to the exclusion of the bank's general liquidity normative (N5) regulating (restricting) the general risk of loosing liquidity by the bank and defining the minimum ratio of liquidity assets to the total bank assets.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 17, 2005. Reg. No. 6408.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-2/pZ-n of February 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Annual Report and the Quarterly Reports of a Non-State Pension Fund

Specifies the composition and procedure of submission of the annual and quarterly reports by non-state pension funds. The annual and quarterly reports shall be submitted to the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia by non-state pension funds having obtained the license.

In the framework of the annual and quarterly reports, there are special reports drawn up according to the forms endorsed by the Order. The annual report is submitted within 90 days after the end of the year, the quarterly reports - within 30 days after the end of the quarter.

The Order is entered into force beginning with the submission of the annual report for the year 2004 by non-state pension funds to the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 17, 2005. Reg. No. 6403.

Order of the Federal Service of Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement No. 42 of January 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Organisation of Work in the Framework of the Federal Service of Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement Pertaining to Transborder Moving of Waste

Defines the procedure of issue of permissions by the Federal Service of Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement for transborder moving of waste. The permissions are issued for the transit shipment of hazardous waste over the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as for the import (export) of hazardous waste. The Order lists the documents submitted to the Service to examine the issue of a permission.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 16, 2005. Reg. No. 6401.

Federal Law No. 21-FZ of March 21, 2005 on the Amendments to Article 12.7 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation

Enhances administrative responsibility for the driving of a transport vehicle by a driver not entitled for it. The mentioned violation shall be charged with a fine in the amount of 7 to 10 minimum amounts of labour remuneration (earlier, 3 to 5 minimum amount of labour remuneration).

The driving of a transport vehicle by a driver deprived of the right to drive transport vehicles implies an administrative fine in the amount of 10 to 15 minimum amounts of labour remuneration (earlier, 5 to 8 minimum amounts of labour remuneration).

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-06-05-05/14 of February 17, 2005 on the Payment of the Uniform Imputed Income Tax for Activities in Sale and Lease of Video Cassettes

Activities of independent entrepreneurs in the lease of video products to natural persons are subject to the uniform tax. Calculation of the uniform tax is done using the figure of basic profitability - number of employees including the independent entrepreneur.

Cash registers must be used when selling video products for cash to buyers (natural persons or legal entities).

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-06-05-04/35 of February 16, 2005 on the Procedure of Registration of the Organisation in the Tax Bodies at the Place of Location of Separate Divisions and Submission of Tax Declarations

The organisation registered in the tax body at the place of its location and possessing separate divisions on the territories covered by other tax bodies must be registered in these tax bodies according to established procedure.

Taxpayer organisations must submit tax declarations for the land tax to the tax body at the place of location of the land plot.

Organisation incorporating separate divisions shall submit to the tax bodies at the place of its location tax declaration for the profit tax for the whole of the organisation with a breakdown by separate divisions.

Tax declarations for the property tax from organisations must be submitted by taxpayers to the tax bodies at their place of location, the place of location of each of its separate divisions possessing a separate balance, as well as the place of location of each of the objects of immovable property. Organisation incorporating separate divisions that do not have a separate balance does not need to pay the property tax from organisations and submit tax declarations at the place of location of such separate divisions.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 156 of March 23, 2005 on the Amendments to the List of Codes of the Types of Foodstuffs According to the All-Russia Classifier of Products Subject to the Value Added Tax at the 10% Rate at Sale Endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 908 of December 31, 2004

Refines the codes of the following commodities: offal, edible animal fats, canned meat and vegetables and beans in blubber oil, butter, dairy products, sugar, other products of the mills and groats industry, bi-products and waste, combination fodder, bread of rye and wheat mills and mixed, bakery, bread crumb, alimentary pastes, groats, mills, some fishes and other.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication and applies to legal relations emerging from March 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 154 of March 23, 2005 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 864 of December 29, 2004

Changes the procedure of financing of expenses pertaining to the state social aid granted to citizens in the form of social services. In 2005, such financing may be arranged regardless of the availability in the subject of the Russian Federation of a medical insurance organisation.

Specifies that resources allocated from the federal budget are intended to cover expenses of the territorial funds of obligatory medical insurance to control the quality, organisational and technical measures to provide the citizens with necessary medicines in the amount of 3% of the total volume of resources allocated for these purposes.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 148 of March 21, 2005 on the Abolition of Some of the Governmental Coordination and Advisory Bodies Pursuant to Implementation of the Measures of Improvement of State Management

Abolishes the Advisory Council for the Issues of National and Cultural Autonomies of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Interagency Commission for the Appeals of Citizens of the Russian Federation Pertaining to Restrictions of Their Right of Exit from the Russian Federation.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 191 of March 3, 2005 on the Agency Awards of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation

Endorses the Regulations on the agency awards of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development: decoration sign "Mercy", breast badges "Expert of Public Health", "Expert of the Social and Labour Sphere" and the Certificate of Honour. Provides descriptions of the mentioned awards.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. GV-6-21/213@ of March 22, 2005 on the Calculation of the Tax Rate for the Tax on Extraction of Mineral Resources for the February of 2005

Provides information on the average level of prices for the Urals oil at the Mediterranean and the Rotterdam markets applied for the calculation of the tax on extraction of mineral resources for oil for the February of 2005.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. 02-1-07/2 of February 2, 2005 on the Procedure of Registration for Profit Taxation Purposes of the Interest under an Investments Tax Credit

Explains that the interest under an investments tax credit is not qualified as interest under borrowings of civil nature. The interest paid out by the organisation under the investments tax credit granted in compliance with the Tax Code of the Russian Federation may not reduce the taxable base for the profit tax.

Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation No. 20 of March 1, 2005 on the Average Market Cost of 1 Square Meter of the Total Area of Dwelling Space for the II Quarter of 2005 for the Purpose of Calculation of the Amount of Free Subsidies for the Purchase of Dwelling Space by all Categories of Citizens Getting These Subsidies at the Expense of Resources of the Federal Budget

Endorses the amounts of the average market cost of 1 square meter of the total area of dwelling space (in roubles) for the II quarter of 2005 for the purpose of calculation of free subsidies for the purchase of dwelling space by all categories of citizens getting the mentioned subsidies at the expense of resources of the federal budget.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 24, 2005. Reg. No. 6424.

Letter of the Federal Service of Insurance Enforcement No. 44-2085/02-01 of March 25, 2005 on the Procedure of Payment of the State Duty

Subjects of insurance activities shall pay the state duty in the amount of Rbl 300 for the processing of application for the license, Rbl 100 for the redrawing of the license. The issue of the license is charged with a state duty of Rbl 1,000. The Letter provides details of the payment order to transfer the mentioned payments.

Letter of the Department of Currency Regulation and Currency Control of the Central Bank of Russia No. 12-1-5/414 of February 16, 2005 on the Application of Item 2.2.3 of the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 113-I of April 28, 2004

Normative acts of the Bank of Russia do not specify the requirements to organisations where a cash worker may get the document confirming the passing of the special training by him in the methods of determination of the signs of authenticity of the currency notes of foreign states (groups of states), as well as the solvency and authenticity of banknotes and coins of the Bank of Russia. Therefore, an authorised bank may arrange the training of cash workers independently and issue a document of the passing of such training, or provide training in specialised organisations (educational institutions) possessing a license for the appropriate educational activities.

The document issued by one authorised bank may not serve as a sufficient confirmation of the appropriate qualification of the cash worker for another authorised bank. If the bank acknowledges the documents issued by another authorised bank, it assumes possible risks if it hires such cash worker.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 30n of March 3, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Uniform Tax Paid When Applying the Simplified System of Taxation and Its Filling Procedure

Endorses the new form of the tax declaration for the uniform tax paid in cases of application of the simplified system of taxation and its filling procedure. The tax declaration (KND Form 1152017) is submitted by taxpayers at the end of the reporting period - no later than within 25 days from the end of the appropriate reporting period; at the end of the tax period by organisations - no later than March 31 of the year following the expired tax period; by independent entrepreneurs - no later than April 30 of the year following the expired tax period.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6445.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 163 of February 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Warning Labels of the Hazards of Tobacco Smoking

Endorses the main and the additional labels warning of the hazards of tobacco smoking for placing on the packages of tobacco items. Producers and importers are recommended to use until December 31, 2005, while producing and importing tobacco items, packages showing the main warming label "Ministry of Public Health of Russia Warns: Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health" and additional labels of the hazards of tobacco smoking: "Smoking Causes Cancer Diseases", "Smoking Causes Lethal Diseases", "Protect Children against Tobacco Smoke", "Tobacco Smoking Causes Nicotine Dependence", "Smoking Causes Heart Diseases".

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6444.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 22 of March 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the List of Officials of the Federal Registration Service Authorised to Draw up the Protocols of Administrative Violations

Officials controlling activities of self-regulating organisations of bankruptcy commissioners shall include the Director of the Federal Registration Service and his deputies, Chief of the Department of Control over Activities of Self-Regulating Organisations of Bankruptcy Commissioners, his deputy, chiefs of sections and other specially authorised persons of the Department, as well as the heads of the territorial bodies of the Federal Registration Service, their deputies, chiefs of sections or other specially authorised persons.

The list of officials taking decisions on the state registration of public and religious associations and controlling their activities shall include the Director of the Federal Registration Service, Chief of the Department for Political Parties, Public and Religious Associations, heads of the territorial bodies of the Federal Registration Service and their deputies, as well as specially authorised persons of the mentioned Department.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6440.

Order of the Federal Customs Service No. 198 of March 15, 2005 on the Officials of the Customs Bodies of the Russian Federation Authorised to Draw up the Protocols of Administrative Violations and Impose Administrative Arrest

Lists officials of the customs bodies authorised to draw up the protocols of administrative violations and impose administrative arrest.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6439.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1557-U of February 25, 2005 on the Simultaneous Investigation of the Transfers of Monetary Resources to Orders of Natural Persons without the Opening of Bank Accounts for the II Quarter of 2005

Credit organisations (their branches) shall submit to the territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia information on money transfers to orders of natural persons without the opening of bank accounts for the II quarter of 2005 according to the form endorsed by the Direction.

The Direction is entered into force from April 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6434.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 41n of March 17, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Expected Income Subject to the Uniform Social Tax for Taxpayers Other Than Those Making Payments to Natural Persons and Its Filling Procedure

Endorses a new form of the tax declaration for the expected income subject to the uniform social tax for taxpayers other than those making payments to natural persons and its filling procedure. The tax declaration (KND Form 1151073) shall be submitted by independent entrepreneurs, members (heads) of the peasant (farmers') enterprises, lawyers, except for the ones whose uniform social tax is calculated and paid by the boards of lawyers, lawyer bureaus and legal advice offices, if there is a significant (greater than 50%) increase in incomes during the tax period.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 25, 2005. Reg. No. 6432.

Regulation of the Central Bank of Russia No. 266-P of December 24, 2004 on the Issue of Bank Cards and on Operations Carried out Using Pay Cards

Introduces a new procedure of issue of bank cards on the territory of the Russian Federation by credit organisations and the particulars for carrying out operations with pay cards with the issuer being a credit organisation or legal entity not being a credit organisation.

The procedure shall not apply to the cards of issuers not being credit organisations intended for getting prepaid commodities (works, services, results of intellectual activities).

As compared to the earlier available Regulation of the Central Bank of Russia No. 23-P of April 9, 1998, the procedure is extended to include operations with overdraft pay cards and prepaid cards.

In case of an absence or insufficiency of monetary resources on the bank account, when the client commits operations using a pay card, the client may enjoy an overdraft feature within the limits envisaged in the bank account contract to commit the given payment operation in the presence of the appropriate condition in the bank account contract.

A prepaid card is intended for operations committed by its holder where the payments are made by the issuer credit organisation in its own name and confirms the right of claim of its holder to the issuer to pay for the commodities (works, services, results of intellectual activities) or hand out cash. When a natural person client commits operations using a prepaid card, the bank account contract (bank deposit contract) is not concluded.

The new Regulation does not contain provisions requiring registration of operations using bank cards in the accounting work of credit organisation. The Regulation lists the provisions pertaining to the issue of bank cards that must be included in the internal bank rules.

The Regulation must be published in the Herald of the Bank of Russia and shall enter into force from April 10, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 25, 2005. Reg. No. 6431.

Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation No. 19 of February 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Handing out, Record Keeping, Making Injections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in Veterinary Practice

Defines the rules of handing out, record keeping, making injections of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances used in veterinary practice and destruction of remaining narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances used in veterinary practice unfit for further use, as well as of used packages from them.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 24, 2005. Reg. No. 6421.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1560-U of March 1, 2005 on the Invalidation of the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1471-U of July 6, 2004 on the Particulars of Depositing of Obligatory Reserves by Credit Organisations in the Bank of Russia Pursuant to the Entry into Force of the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 255-P of March 29, 2004 on the Obligatory Reserves of Credit Organisations

Invalidates the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1471-U of July 6, 2004 on the particulars of depositing of obligatory reserves by credit organisations in the Bank of Russia pursuant to the entry into force of the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 255-P of March 29, 2004 on the obligatory reserves of credit organisations.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 24, 2005. Reg. No. 6418.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 29n of March 3, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Water Tax and Its Filling Procedure

Endorses a new form of the tax declaration for the water tax and its filling procedure. The tax declaration (KND Form 1151072) shall be submitted by taxpayers to the tax bodies at the place of location of the object of taxation within the time limits specified for the payment of the tax. The foreigner taxpayers shall submit also a copy of the tax declaration to the tax body at the place of location of the body having issued the license for the use of water within the time limits specified for the payment of the tax. Organisations registered in the interregional inspections of the Federal Tax Service of Russia for major taxpayers shall submit tax declarations to the tax bodies at the place of location of the object of taxation according to the commonly accepted procedure. The tax declaration is submitted for each product-sharing agreement at the place of location of the part of the deposit granted for use under a product-sharing agreement separately from other activities.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 24, 2005. Reg. No. 6417.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1537-U of December 24, 2004 on the Adjustment of Individual Normative Legal Acts of the Bank of Russia

Pursuant to the adoption of the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 266-P of December 24, 2004, invalidates Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 23-P of April 9, 1998 on the procedure of issue of bank cards by credit organisations and making payments with them and a number of other documents pertaining to the issue of permissions by card issuers and registration certificates for distribution of bank cards.

The Direction is entered into force from April 10, 2005.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 45-T of March 23, 2005 on the Form of the Contract between a Credit Organisation and the Bank of Russia for the Acceptance and Transfer of Reports in the Form of Electronic Messages

Structural divisions of the Bank of Russia shall conclude contracts according to the provided form between a credit organisation and the Bank of Russia on the transfer and acceptance of reports envisaged in the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1376-U of January 16, 2004 in the form of electronic messages with an authentication code.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 363 of March 30, 2005 on the Measures to Improve Material Status of Some Categories of Citizens of the Russian Federation in View of the 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45

From May 1, 2005, invalids, individual categories of participants of the Great Patriotic War, former underage prisoners of concentration camps, ghettos and other places of detention shall get an additional monthly material support in the amount of Rbl 1,000.

Additional monthly material support in the amount of Rbl 500 is introduced for individual categories of persons having undergone military service in the years of war, widows of servicemen diseased during the Great Patriotic War, war with Finland, war with Japan, widows of diseased invalids of the Great Patriotic War, persons awarded with the badge "Resident of Blockaded Leningrad, former adult prisoners of nazi concentration camps, prisons and ghettos.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 165 of March 29, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Accreditation of the Bodies Providing Certification, Test Laboratories (Centres) Providing Certification Testing of the Means of Communication

Defines the procedure of accreditation of legal entities, independent entrepreneurs as the bodies providing certification, test laboratories (centres) providing certification testing of the means of communication and issue of the accreditation certificate.

The accreditation is vested in the Federal Communication Agency.

Accreditation documents issued before July 1, 2003 to the bodies providing certification, test laboratories (centres) providing certification testing of the means of communication shall preserve their force until expiry.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 161 of March 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Connection of Telecommunication Networks and Their Interaction

Specifies the procedure of connection of telecommunication networks (other than communication networks for TV and radio broadcasting) and their interaction with a network of a major telecommunication operator in a public-use communication network, as well as significant terms of connection of telecommunication networks and their interaction.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 160 of March 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Granting Credits to the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation from the Federal Budget to Cover Temporary Cash Gaps in Execution of the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and Expenses Pertaining to Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, As Well As of Use and Return of the Mentioned Budget Credits by the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation

A temporary cash gap in the execution of the consolidated budget of the subject of the Russian Federation is defined as underpaid incomes in a certain period of the fiscal year necessary for the implementation of expenses envisaged in the consolidated budget of the subject of the Russian Federation taking into account the sources of financing of the budget deficit. In the presence of or predictable temporary cash gap, the body of executive power of the subject of the Russian Federation may apply to the Ministry of Finance of Russia to get the budget credit. Budget credits are provided for a period less than a fiscal year using the interest rate specified under the federal law on the federal budget for the current fiscal year. Budget credit may not be granted to the subject of the Russian Federation with an overdue debt in budget loans and credits received earlier from the federal budget.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 159 of March 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Spending and Registration of Resources for the Granting of Subventions from the Federal Budget to the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation to Implement the Federal Authority of the State Registration of Acts of Civil Status

Defines the procedure of spending and registration of resources for the granting of subventions from the federal budget to the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation to implement the federal authority of the state registration of acts of civil status.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1548-U of February 7, 2005 on the Procedure of Opening (Closing) and Organisation of Work of a Mobile Cash Station of a Bank (Branch)

Specifies the procedure of opening, closing, as well as organisation of work of the mobile cash station of a bank, the list of operations to be carried out in it, as well as the requirements to its technical strength and outfit.

Mobile cash station is intended to provide bank services for the population on the territories featuring underdeveloped bank infrastructure, in hard-to-access and underpopulated regions, where the creation of stationary divisions of credit organisations is unprofitable and providing bank services to the population is insufficient and difficult. Mobile cash station is an internal structural division of the bank operating on the basis of a motor vehicle and intended for cash operations involving natural persons (residents and non-residents) except for independent entrepreneurs.

The bank (branch) may arrange the work of the mobile cash station in residential settlements numbering up to 10,000 persons, in the places of work of rotational teams or in field (expeditionary) conditions, as well as at customs stations - within the territory covered by the territorial institution of the Bank of Russia supervising the work of the given bank (branch).

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6438.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation and the Federal Tax Service Nos. 28n, SAE-3-10/58 of February 25, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Periods, Time Limits and Form of Submission of Information in Compliance with the Rules Endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 410 of August 12, 2004

Endorses the structure and format of information transmitted in the electronic form by the departments of the Federal Tax Service of Russia in the subjects of the Russian Federation to the financial bodies of the subjects of the Russian Federation and by inspections of the Federal Tax Service of Russia to financial bodies of local administrations.

Also endorses the structure and format of information transmitted in the electronic form by financial bodies of the subjects of the Russian Federation to the departments of the Federal Tax Service of Russia in the subjects of the Russian Federation and by financial bodies of local administrations to inspections of the Federal Tax Service of Russia.

Submission of information by the departments of the Federal Tax Service of Russia in the subjects of the Russian Federation to financial bodies of the subjects of the Russian Federation shall be arranged from January 1, 2005 on the monthly basis as of the 1st until the 15th of the following month. Submission of information by inspections of the Federal Tax Service of Russia to financial bodies of local administrations shall be arranged from January 1, 2006 on the monthly basis as of the 1st until the 15th of the following month.

Submission of information by financial bodies of the subjects of the Russian Federation to the departments of the Federal Tax Service of Russia in the subjects of the Russian Federation and by financial bodies of local administrations to inspections of the Federal Tax Service of Russia shall be arranged in the periods and time limits specified in the Order.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 24, 2005. Reg. No. 6419.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-06-05-04/49 of March 3, 2005 on the Payers of the Uniform Imputed-Income Tax

The trade outlet located in the building unfit for retail trade shall be regarded as an object of a mobile trade network. In this case, calculation of the uniform imputed-income tax is done using the figure of basic profitability-trade outlet.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 357 of March 28, 2005 on the Call up to the Military Service of the Citizens of the Russian Federation in April-June 2005 and on the Dismissal of Draft Servicemen from the Military Service

Calls up to the military service from April 1 to June 30, 2005 the citizens of the Russian Federation aged 18 to 27 not being in the reserve and eligible for the draft service in the amount of 157,700.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 40n of March 17, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Estimate of Advance Payments for the Uniform Social Tax and Its Filling Recommendations

Endorses the form of the estimate of advance payments for the uniform social tax for the entities making payments to natural persons (KND Form 1151050) and its filling recommendations. The Order applies beginning with the estimates of advance payments for the first reporting period of 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6452.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 42n of March 17, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Application of the Expected Income Subject to the Uniform Social Tax for the Taxpayers Other Than Those Making Payments to Natural Persons and Its Filling Recommendations

Endorses the form of the application of the expected income subject to the uniform social tax for taxpayers other than those making payments to natural persons and its filling recommendations. The application (KND Form 1151073) is submitted to the territorial body of the Federal Tax Service of Russia at the place of registration by independent entrepreneurs, members (heads) of peasant (farmers') enterprises, lawyers (except for those whose uniform social tax is calculated and paid by the boards of lawyers, lawyer bureaus and legal advice offices) within five days one month after the day of the beginning of entrepreneurial or other professional activities.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6451.

Federal Law No. 29-FZ of April 1, 2005 on the Amendments to the Criminal Execution Code of the Russian Federation

Specifies that the convicts not permitting violations of the established procedure of detention in the wards are entitled for longer outdoor walks at the decision of the chief of the penitentiary institution, up to two hours a day for one month.

An early release of the convict from the isolation ward is permitted at the decision of the chief of the colony or the person replacing him for educational purposes or for medical reasons.

Federal Law No. 28-FZ of April 1, 2005 on the Amendments to the Criminal Execution Code of the Russian Federation

Specifies that the convicts being repeated violators of established procedure of detention may be transferred from colonies to jail for up to three years, with the rest of the term being served in the colony type they were sent from. Transfer to jail does not apply to those convicted for life-time imprisonment, those with the death penalty replaced with the life-time imprisonment and women.

Decision to place in the isolation ward must contain the length of detention.

Federal Law No. 27-FZ of April 1, 2005 on the Amendments to Some of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation and on Invalidation of Individual Provisions of Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

Amends the Federal Laws No. 53-FZ of March 28, 1998 on the military duty and military service, No. 114-FZ of July 21, 1997 on the service in the customs bodies of the Russian Federation, No. 69-FZ of December 21, 1994 on the fire safety, Law of the Russian Federation No. 1026-I of April 18, 1991 on militia, Regulation on the service in the bodies of internal affairs of the Russian Federation endorsed by the Decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation No. 4202-I of December 23, 1992.

The amendments remove the controversies of the mentioned laws pertaining to registration for military purposes and provide for a uniform approach in organisation of the record keeping and execution of the military duty. Specifies that the persons covered by the above laws may terminate their service because of the call up to the military service or replacing it alternative civil service.

The Federal Law is entered into force from April 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 26-FZ of March 31, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 5 of the Federal Law on the Jury of the Federal Courts of General Jurisdiction in the Russian Federation

Since the legislation of the Russian Federation does not specify the citizenship status of the municipal formation, refines the norm of Item 4 of Article 5 of the mentioned Law.

Federal Law No. 25-FZ of March 31, 2005 on the Amendments to the Code of Arbitration Procedures of the Russian Federation and Invalidation of the Federal Law on the Amendment to Article 59 of the Code of Arbitration Procedures of the Russian Federation

According to the amendments to Article 59 of the Code of Arbitration Procedures of the Russian Federation, lawyers and other persons rendering legal aid may act as representatives of organisations in a court of arbitration. This is in compliance with the position of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation expressed in the Decision No. 15-P of July 16, 2004. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation earlier recognised as unconstitutional the provision stating that the persons rendering legal aid and selected by organisations may not act as representatives in a court of arbitration, if they are not being lawyers or the persons on the payroll in these organisations.

The amendments also pertain to the procedure of revising of judicial acts as an enforcement measure. At the request of the applicant, the time limit specified for submission of application or representation to revise the judicial act, if missed for reasons not depending on him, may be restored by the judge of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation on condition that the request is submitted no later than within 6 months from the day of entry into legal force of the most recent challenged judicial act or the day when this person learnt or was to learn of the violation of his rights or legal interests by the challenged act. Restoration of the expired time limit is indicated in the ruling of acceptance of the application or representation to process it, refusal to restore it - in the ruling of return of the application or representation. Restoration of the time limits is permitted in the cases of challenging of judicial acts adopted before the entry into force of the given Federal Law, if the spec ified maximum permissible time limits have not expired as of the day of its entry into force.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 174 of March 31, 2005 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 249 of April 28, 2003

Changes the procedure of collection of regular payments for the use of subsoil resources from the users of subsoil resources engaged in prospecting and surveys of the deposits on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation and in the exclusive economic zone, as well as outside the Russian Federation on the territories under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation.

Specifies that the specific amount of the rate of the regular payment is determined by the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources within the range of specified minimum and maximum rates.

Users of subsoil resources shall submit on the quarterly basis, no later than the last of the month following the expired quarter to the Federal Tax Service of Russia and the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources estimates of regular payments for the use of subsoil resources according to the forms endorsed by the Ministry of Finance Russia in coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 171 of March 31, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on Cash Payments and (or) Payments Using Pay Cards without Cash Registers

Specifies the procedure for making cash payments and (or) payments using pay cards without the use of cash registers by organisations and independent entrepreneurs in cases of rendering services to the population on condition of issue of appropriate strict-reporting forms by them equal to cash slips, as well as the procedure of endorsement, registration, storage and destruction of blank forms.

Strict-reporting forms equal to cash slips shall include slips, tickets, travel documents, tokens, accommodations, user subscriptions and other documents intended for making cash payments and (or) payments using pay cards in cases of rendering services to the population.

The blank forms shall be endorsed by the Ministry of Finance of Russia. The documents drawn up on such forms shall be qualified as initial registration documents (except for the blank forms intended for making cash payments for the travel on the ground passenger public-use transport).

The earlier endorsed strict-reporting forms may be used before the endorsement of the new forms, however, no later than January 1, 2007.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 170 of March 31, 2005 on the Non-Application of the Rate of the Export Customs Duty for Nickel Alloys

The rate of the export customs duty earlier endorsed in the amount of 5% of the customs cost shall not apply for nickel alloys (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 7502 20 000 0). The Decision is entered into force one months after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 166 of March 29, 2005 on the Amendments to the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation Pertaining to Motor Components Imported for Industrial Assembly

Refines individual rates of the import customs duties for motor components imported for industrial assembly. The notion of "industrial assembly" and the terms of its application shall be defined according to the procedure to be worked out by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia together with the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of Russia and the Ministry of Finance of Russia. Motor components imported for industrial assembly shall be subject to the beneficial import rate, or shall be imported duty free. The rates are introduced for 9 months.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication, except for individual norms to be entered into force from April 15, 2005.

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 335-r of April 1, 2005

Issues orders to federal bodies of executive power to arrange leisure, rehabilitation and employment of children in 2005. In particular, the Social Insurance Fund of Russia is ordered to provide for a full or partial coverage of the cost of accommodations, sets of foodstuffs, cost of travel of accompanying persons for the children of the insured persons in the amounts specified in the Law on the budget of the Social Insurance Fund of Russia.

Federal Law No. 30-FZ of April 4, 2005 on the Execution of the Federal Budget for the Year 2003

Endorses the report of execution of the federal budget for the year 2003 with incomes amounting to Rbl 2,586,191,200.4 thousand and expenses amounting to Rbl 2,358,546,300.4 thousand, the surplus of incomes over expenses being Rbl 227,644,900.0 thousand.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 176 of April 1, 200 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Compensation of the Travelling Expanses to the Place of Recreation on the Territory of the Russian Federation and Back to Pensioners Receiving Labour Old-Age and Disability Pensions and Living in the Regions of the Far North and Similar Localities

Defines the procedure, amounts and terms of compensation of the travelling expenses to the place of recreation on the territory of the Russian Federation and back to non-working pensioners receiving labour old-age and disability pensions and living in the regions of the Far North and similar localities. The compensation may be granted in the form of provided travel documents or reimbursement of actually suffered travelling expenses by the pensioner. The paying out of the compensation shall be arranged once in two years.

Application for the compensation drawn up to the specified form shall be submitted by the pensioner to the territorial body of the Pension Fund of Russia at the place of residence while presenting the accommodation or another document serving as confirmation of the pensioner stay in the sanatorium, preventive clinic, rest home, tourist base or another place providing recreational services. The compensation shall be paid out using the same procedure as is used to pay out the pension.

The Decision applies to legal relations emerging from January 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 175 of April 1, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Radio Control in the Russian Federation

Specifies the procedure of implementation of control over emissions of radio electronic devices and/or high-frequency devices of civil destination. The radio control is a multitude of organisational and technical measures implemented through measurements and instrumental assessment of parameters of emissions of radio electronic devices and/or high-frequency devices. The radio control shall be implemented without participation and notification of the holders of radio electronic devices and/or high-frequency devices.

The Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication of Russia shall specify the requirements to the radio control, general technical requirements to technical components of the radio control, as well as the forms of the documents drawn up during it and the forms of protocols of the results of measurements of technical parameters of emissions of radio electronic devices and high-frequency devices.

Decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 5 of March 24, 2005 on Some Issues Emerging with the Courts When Applying the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation

Legislation on administrative violations that should be used as guidance when processing the mentioned category of cases shall include not only the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation, but also the laws of the subjects of the Russian Federation adopted in pursuance of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation in issues qualified as the sphere of reference of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The law of the subject of the Russian Federation may not envisage administrative responsibility for the violations of the rules and norms envisaged in the laws and other normative acts of the Russian Federation.

For the cases of violations where the driver's license suspension is envisaged, the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation specifies an alternative territorial jurisdiction. The body (official) having drawn up the protocol of such violation, may send the materials for processing to the judge at the place of registration of the transport vehicle.

The Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation does not prohibit the keeping of the minutes when the case is processed by the judge, therefore, opportunities of keeping of such minutes are not excluded in necessary cases.

If a low significance of the committed administrative violation was established when the case was processed, the judge may exempt the offender from administrative responsibility, confining himself to an oral reprimand, which must be indicated in the decision on the termination of the proceedings. A low-significance administrative violation implies an act or failure to act, although containing the formal signs of an administrative violation, however, failing to be recognised as a significant infringement on the protected public relations taking into account the nature of the committed violation and the role of the offender, the level of damage and occurring consequences.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SAE-3-09/40@ of February 14, 2005 on the Preparation for Publication and Issue of Information Contained in the Joint State Register of Legal Entities

Endorses Form N Р80002 "Information Entered in the Joint State Register of Legal Entities" used to place the information contained in the Joint State Register of Legal Entities in the Internet on the site of the Federal Tax Service of Russia.

Provides the composition of the information contained in the Joint State Register of Legal Entities provided for publication in the Herald of the State Registration journal.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 30, 2005. Reg. No. 6460.

Federal Law No. 32-FZ of April 4, 2005 on the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation

The Public Chamber shall provide for interaction of the citizens of the Russian Federation with the federal and regional bodies of state power and the bodies of local government to involve large circles of the Russian public in the implementation of the state policy of the Russian Federation, take care of public initiatives and interests of the citizens of the Russian Federation, ensure protection of the rights of public associations, as well as create a mechanism of public control over activities of the bodies of public power.

The Public Chamber shall include the citizens of the Russian Federation known for distinguished services to the state and society, representatives of public associations, as well as associations of non-commercial organisations.

The first plenary session of the Public Chamber shall elect the Council of the Public Chamber and the Secretary of the Public Chamber, their authority and procedure of activities being defined in the regulation. The main form of work of its members in the Public Chamber shall be participation in the plenary sessions of the Public Chamber, commissions and working groups formed by the Public Chamber.

The Public Chamber shall handle the tasks of coordination of the interests of citizens, public associations and the state bodies to solve the most important, for the population of Russia, issues of economic and social development, ensuring security of the person, society and the state, protection of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation and the democratic principles of organisation of the civil society.

The mentioned tasks shall be solved by the Public Chamber by arranging public expert evaluation of the draft federal constitutional laws and federal laws, draft normative legal acts of the federal bodies of executive power of the Russian Federation and the bodies of local government, public control over activities of the bodies of executive power and putting forward of civil initiatives of common Russian significance and aimed at implementation of the constitutional rights, freedoms and legal interests of citizens and their associations.

Decisions of the Public Chamber shall be of advisory nature and shall be adopted in the form of statements, proposals and appeals.

An office of the Public Chamber is being created to provide for the activities of the Public Chamber, which will be a state institution. The head of the office of the Public Chamber shall be assigned to his position and dismissed from it by the Government of the Russian Federation at the presentation of the Council of the Public Chamber.

The Federal Law is entered into force from July 1, 2005.

Federal Law No. 31-FZ of April 4, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 10 of the Federal Law on the Defence

The amendments specify the legal fundamentals for application in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to combat terrorist activities. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are intended to repel aggression against the Russian Federation, to provide armed protection of the integrity and inviolability of the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as to fulfil the tasks in compliance with international treaties and the federal constitutional and federal laws.

Order of the Federal Customs Service No. 183 of March 10, 2005 on the Authority of the Customs Bodies to Commit Customs Operations with Fissionable and Radio Active Materials

Lists specialised customs bodies whose authority is limited exclusively to customs operations with fissionable and radio active materials moved across the customs border of the Russian Federation and classified under Headings 2612, 2844 and code 8401 30 000 0 of the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation, other commodities containing the mentioned components, as well as equipment for their production, storage, transportation, taking measurements and appropriate documentation.

Any other customs bodies do not have the authority to commit customs operations with such commodities. An exception is made for the cases of arrival of commodities to the customs territory of the Russian Federation and their dispatching, procedure of internal customs transit shipment, customs regimes of international customs transit shipment and re-export, as well as the customs registration of the air, sea and river vessels possessing instruments outfitted with radio isotope sources.

The Order is entered into force 90 days after the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 30, 2005. Reg. No. 6457.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 50-T of March 30, 2005 on the Special Registration of Credit Organisations in the Bodies of the Federal Assay Enforcement

Before the adoption by the Ministry of Finance of Russia of the special act excluding credit organisations from the list of organisations subject to the special registration, operations with precious metals carried out by credit organisations without the special registration in the bodies of the federal assay enforcement shall be considered legal.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 48-T of March 29, 2005 on the Application of Article 11 of the Federal Law on the Banks and Banking Activities

In cases of revealed facts of purchase by a group of legal entities and/or natural persons interconnected by an agreement, or a group of legal entities being branches or dependent on each other, of stocks (shares) of credit organisations, if the mentioned purchase operations were not coordinated with the Bank of Russia, territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia are recommended to send information of the revealed facts of this kind to the appropriate credit organisation.

In this case, the purchase by a group of persons is implied to be the acquiring of the mentioned stocks (shares) in property (or trust control) by the founders (participants) of the credit organisation - members of the group of persons directly, as well as obtaining the right of disposal of such stocks (shares) by being able to exert a significant influence directly or indirectly (through third parties) on the founders (participants) of the credit organisation. Territorial institutions of the Bank of Russia shall arrange a coordination of participation in the bank's registered capital on the basis of a preliminary consent of the Federal Antimonopoly Service, as well as the documents on the system of relations among the participants of the group of persons interconnected by an agreement.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 179 of April 4, 2005 on the Amendments to the Decisions of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 587 of August 14, 1992 and No. 814 of July 21, 1998

Long-barrel service arms used by non-state (private) guard services, as well as the short-barrel arms looking like combat submachine guns must be painted in special colours from March 1, 2006. The colour of the paint and the places of its location on the arms are defined by the producer enterprise in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

The fire arms earlier purchased by non-state (private) guard enterprises not included in the list of the types of arms of guardsmen may be used by them until March 1, 2006.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 178 of April 4, 2005 on the Non-Application of the Rates of the Import Customs Duties for Soy Beans, Fish Meal and Individual Types of Maize

The rates of import customs duties specified in the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation shall not apply for sowing soy beans and other (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 1201 00 100 0, 1201 00 900 0), meals and flours and granules of fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other water invertebrates (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2301 20 000 0) and other maize (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 1005 90 000 0).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 177 of April 4, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Import Customs Duty for Some Types of Furniture and Mounting Fittings

The rate of the import customs duty for furniture and mounting fittings and similar other items of non-precious metals (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 8302 42 900 0) is reduced from 15% to 5% of the customs cost. The new rate shall apply for 9 months.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Order of the Federal Service for Tariff Rates No. 22-e/5 of February 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Methodology Directions on the Determination of the Amount of Payment for Connection to Power-Supply Networks for Production Purposes

Provides the main provisions on the calculation of the amount of payment for the connection for production purposes of power consuming devices (power plants) of legal entities and natural persons to electric networks of organisations possessing objects of electric networks on the proprietary basis or on other legal grounds. The endorsed Methodology Directions are intended for use by the Federal Service for Tariff Rates of Russia and network organisations.

The payment for the connection for production purposes is collected from consumers of electric power and owners of generator plants newly connected to electric networks or expanding available connections, as well as electric network organisations possessing objects of electric networks on the proprietary basis or on other legal grounds. The payment for the connection for production purposes is collected once.

Natural persons applying for connection to consume electric power for communal and household needs, with connected power rating not greater than 15 kW inclusive, shall pay for the works to develop technical specification in the amount not greater than 0.5 minimum amount of labour remuneration, for other works - in the amount not greater than 5 minimum amounts of labour remuneration. All other applicants (including the natural persons with connected power rating greater than 15 kW) shall pay for the connection in the amount calculated according to the provided formulas.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 1, 2005. Reg. No. 6462.

Letter of the Department of the Tax and Customs Tariff Policy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-05-01-04/59 of March 18, 2005 on the Incomes Tax from Natural Persons for the Excess Daily Allowance

Explains that pursuant to the Decision of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 16141/04 of January 26, 2005 stating that the daily allowance paid out within the norms specified in internal documents of the organisation is exempted from the incomes tax from natural persons, there is not need to recalculate the amounts of the incomes tax from natural persons for the period from 2002 to 2004 collected from the daily allowance in excess of Rbl 100 a day.

Federal Constitutional Law No. 3-FKZ of April 5, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Constitutional Law on the Judicial System in the Russian Federation

The limiting age for stay in a position of a judge of the federal court is increased from 65 to 70 years. The given provision applies to all judges of the federal courts under 65 as of the day of entry into force of the Federal Constitutional Law, except for the judges of the federal courts assigned to their positions for the first time for three years.

Authority of the judge is terminated upon expiry or when he reaches the limiting age. Earlier, the authority was terminated or suspended only at the decision of the appropriate qualification board of judges.

The Federal Constitutional Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Constitutional Law No. 2-FKZ of April 5, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation

According to the amendments, authority of a judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation is not restricted to a pre-defined period (earlier, 15 years). The Law preserves the limiting age for the position of the judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation - 70 years. The judge having reached the limiting age continues to execute his duties until adoption of the final decision on the case he started or until a new judge is assigned to his position.

The Federal Constitutional Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 33-FZ of April 5, 2005 on the Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on the Status of Judges in the Russian Federation, Federal Law on the Justices of the Peace in the Russian Federation, Federal Law on the Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation on the Status of Judges in the Russian Federation and the Federal Law on the Bodies of the Judicial Community in the Russian Federation

The limiting age for the position of a judge is increased from 65 to 70 years. For the judges of the constitutional (charter) courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation, the laws of the appropriate subjects may specify another limiting age for the position of the judge of these courts.

The Law preserves the restriction of the authority of the justices of the peace assigned (elected) to their position for the first time for the period specified in the law of the appropriate subject of the Russian Federation, however, not more than for five years. The amendments envisage that in cases of repeated and subsequent assignments (elections), justices of the peace are assigned (elected) for the period specified in the law of the appropriate subject of the Russian Federation, however, at least for five years until they reach the limiting age - 70 years.

The judge with terminated authority because of expiry, or because he reached the limiting age, shall continue to implement his authority until he finishes the case started with his participation, or until the first assignment of the judge to the given court.

Provisions on the limiting age for the position of the judge shall apply to all judges of the federal courts under 65 as of the day of entry into force of the Federal Law, except for the judges assigned to their position for the first time for three years.

No later than six months in advance of the expiry of the authority of the judge, or no later than within 10 days after the opening of the vacancy in cases of an early termination of the authority, appropriate qualification board of judges shall announce the opening of the vacancy in mass media while indicating the time and place of accepting of applications of the candidates for the position of the judge, as well as the time and place of examination of the received applications.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 189 of April 6, 2005 on the Amendment to the Procedure of Determination of the Taxable Base for the Calculation of the Value Added Tax for Advance Payments or Other Payments Received by Exporter Organisations for Anticipated Supplies of Commodities Subject to the 0 Tax Rate with the Length of Production Cycle Being Greater Than 6 Months Endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 602 of August 21, 2001

The federal body of executive power authorised to hand out the document confirming the length of the production cycle for the commodities sold for export for the purpose of determination of the taxable base for the value added tax shall be the Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of Russia. The Decision changed the list of the documents to be submitted by the exporter organisation to confirm the receiving of the advance or other payments to the tax body simultaneously with the tax declaration for the appropriate tax period.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 186 of April 6, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Creation, Keeping and Use of the Centralised Databank to Register Foreign Citizens Arriving Temporarily or Staying on the Temporary or Permanent Basis in the Russian Federation

Defines the procedure of creation, keeping and use of the centralised databank to register foreign citizens and stateless persons arriving temporarily or staying on the temporary or permanent basis in the Russian Federation. The centralised databank is a specialised interagency automatic information subsystem containing information on foreign citizens and stateless persons entering the Russian Federation, staying on the temporary or permanent basis in the Russian Federation and leaving the Russian Federation, intended for joint keeping and use by the interested federal bodies of executive power and forming part of the federal interagency information system of migration control in the Russian Federation.

The centralised databank shall be a federal information resource and shall be supervised by the Federal Migration Service.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 181 of April 6, 2005 on the Non-Application of the Rates of Import Customs Duties for Iron Ores and Concentrates

The rates of the import customs duties specified in the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation in the amount of 5% of the customs cost shall not apply to iron ores and concentrates, whether or not agglomerated (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2601 11 000 0 and 2601 12 000 0).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication for 9 months.

Order of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication of the Russian Federation No. 32 of March 22, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Requirements to the Content of the Description of Communication Networks and Means of Communication to Be Used to Render Communication Services

Description of communication networks and means of communication is necessary if the applicant, while rendering the services, intends to use a radio frequency range, including the cases of TV and radio broadcasting, provide cable TV transmission or wired radio transmission, transfer voice information, including the cases of data transfer networks, provide communication channels outside the territory of a single subject of the Russian Federation or outside the Russian Federation, carry out activities of the postal communication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6471.

Order of the Federal Antimonopoly Service No. 36 of March 10, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Determination of the Dominating Position of Participants of the Market of Insurance Services

Specifies the procedure of determination of the dominating position of insurance and reinsurance organisations, as well as mutual insurance companies, at the market of insurance services. The dominating position of insurers shall be determined by the antimonopoly body in coordination with the Ministry of Finance of Russia. The presence of the dominating position of an insurer is not a violation of the antimonopoly legislation, but serves as grounds for a systematic monitoring of his activities on the part of the antimonopoly body to prevent abuse of this status.

Insurer status with the share for the reporting period exceeding 10% at the federal insurance market or 25% at the regional one is qualified as dominating.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6467.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 48n of March 24, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Estimate of Advance Payments for Insurance Contributions for Obligatory Pension Insurance and Its Filling Recommendations

Endorses the form of the estimate of advance payments for insurance contributions for obligatory pension insurance for the entities making payments to natural persons (KND Form 1151058) and its filling recommendations.

The Order shall apply beginning with submission of the estimates of advance payments for the first reporting period of 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 5, 2005. Reg. No. 6464.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1551-U of February 18, 2005 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1376-U of January 16, 2004 on the List, Forms and Procedure of Drawing up and Submission of the Forms of Reports of Credit Organisations to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation

Amends Reporting Form 0409135 "Information on Obligatory Normatives" pursuant to the exclusion of obligatory normative N5.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 5, 2005. Reg. No. 6463.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 202 of April 7, 2005 on the Amendments to the Customs Tariff of the Russian Federation and the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 602 of August 21, 2001 Pertaining to Some Types of Technological Equipment for Making Paper-and-Pulp Products

Refines the codes of individual types of technological equipment for making paper-and-pulp items.

Equipment for packing rolls at least 600 mm, however, not more than 1,500 mm in diameter and 300 mm, however, not more than 3,200 mm in width, equipment for packing empty paper bags on trays with plastic tape not more than 16 mm in width in the amount not more than 3,500 pieces on a single tray shall be imported using the 0% rate. Other equipment shall be imported using the rate of 5% of the customs cost. The mentioned rates shall be valid for 9 months.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 200 of April 7, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rates of Export Customs Duties for Precious or Semi-Precious Stones, Man-Made or Reconstructed

Precious or semi-precious stones, man-made or reconstructed (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 7104 20 000 0, 7104 90 000 0), shall be imported using the 0% rate (earlier, duty free).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 199 of April 7, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Export Customs Duty for Unprocessed Zinc

The rate of the export customs duty for unprocessed zinc (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 7901) is fixed in the amount equal to zero (earlier, 5% of the customs cost).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 198 of April 7, 2005 on the Interim Rate of the Import Customs Duty for Zinc Ores and Concentrates

The rate of the import customs duty for zinc ores and concentrates (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 2608 00 000 0) is fixed in the amount equal to zero (earlier, 5% of the customs cost) for 9 months.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 196 of April 7, 2005 on the Non-Application of the Rates of the Import Customs Duties for Individual Types of Technological Equipment

The earlier introduced rates of import customs duties (in the amount of 5% to 10% of the customs cost) shall not apply for individual types of technological equipment to be imported using the rate of 0%.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication for 9 months.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 190 of April 6, 2005 on the Terms and Criteria of Determination of the Amount of Subsidies Granted from the Federal Budget to the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation to Provide State Support in the Sphere of Agro-Industrial Complex and the Rules of Their Granting

Resources to finance the measures in the sphere of agricultural production, plant growing and animal breeding, subsidise interest rates for attracted credits in Russian credit organisations and reimburse part of expenses to insure agricultural crops shall be allocated to the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation in the form of subsidies. The Decision lists the terms permitting to get the subsidies.

The main criteria of determination of the amount of subsidies shall be the gross volume of agricultural produce, the volume of attracted credit resources, number of breeding animals, size of the cultivated land used for agricultural crops, areas used for perennial plants, volumes of purchase of seeds, mineral fertilisers and chemical means of protection of plants.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 183 of April 6, 2005 on the Amendment to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 626 of October 14, 2003

The list of commodities (equipment, including the component and spare parts for it) imported to the customs territory of the Russian Federation under the contracts open for financing until August 1, 1998 inclusive at the expense of tied credits of the governments of foreign states, banks and companies against the guarantees of the Government of the Russian Federation shall be amended where it pertains to other items of plastic and other materials of Headings 3901-3914.

Decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 7 of April 5, 2005 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 35 of December 14, 2000 on Some Issues Emerging in the Cases Pertaining to Implementation of the Rights by Invalids Guaranteed by the Law of the Russian Federation on the Social Protection of Citizens Having Been Exposed to Radiation Because of the Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

The amendments are stipulated by adoption of a number of normative acts, the need to explain a number of issues pertaining, in particular, to the determination of the amount of reimbursement of the damage to the health of invalids because of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station and the indexing of the amounts of reimbursement of damage.

Explains that from February 15, 2001 to January 1, 2005, reimbursement of damage to health pursuant to radiation exposure because of the Chernobyl disaster or the carrying out of works to eliminate the consequences of this disaster was guaranteed by the payment of the monthly monetary compensation in fixed amount, the amount depending only on the disability group. However, if the amount of compensation did not reach the amount of compensation received by the invalid earlier, he was entitled for a monthly monetary compensation in the previous amount, however, not greater than the maximum amount of the monthly insurance payment specified in the Federal Law on the budget of the Social Insurance Fund for the subsequent fiscal year.

Amounts of reimbursement of damage may not be indexed on the basis of the growth of the minimum amount of labour remuneration from February 1997 to July 1, 2000, since this figure did not change in the mentioned period.

The courts may carry out the indexing for the period from July 1, 2000 to January 1, 2001 using an increasing factor of 1.581 from July 1, 2000 and 1,515 from January 1, 2001 on condition that from February 1997 to July 1, 2000 the indexing of the mentioned amounts was not carried out taking into account the consumer price growth. If such indexing was carried out, its amount must be taken into account in the determination of the monthly amounts of reimbursement of damage for the period from July 1, 2000 to January 1, 2001.

Since the delay in the payment of the amounts of reimbursement of damage to health because of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station incurs a material damage on the plaintiff in view of inflation, the court may satisfy his demand to index the mentioned amounts taking into account the growth of consumer prices.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 31n of March 3, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Tax Declarations for the Value Added Tax and Indirect Taxes (Value Added Tax and Excises) for the Cases of Import of Commodities to the Territory of the Russian Federation from the Territory of the Republic of Belarus and Their Filling Procedures

Endorses three forms of tax declarations: VAT, 0% VAT and indirect taxes (VAT and excises) for the import of commodities to the territory of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Belarus, as well as their filling procedures.

The declarations are submitted by taxpayer organisations and independent entrepreneurs, as well as tax agents, to the tax bodies at the place of their registration no later than the 20th of the month following the expired tax period. The Order specifies the particulars of filling of the declarations in the absence of operations subject to VAT and operations exempted from taxation under product-sharing agreements.

For operations of sale of commodities (works, services) subject to the 0% tax rate in compliance with the agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on the principles of collection of indirect taxes in export and import of commodities, carrying out works, rendering services of September 15, 2004, the taxpayers, beside the usual declaration, shall also submit the declaration for the 0% tax rate.

The Order shall apply beginning with the tax declaration for March and the I quarter of 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6476.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 32n of March 3, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Tax Declarations for Excise Duty Taxes and Their Filling Procedures

Endorses five forms of tax declarations: for excise duty taxes for excisable commodities, except for oil products, tobacco items and alcoholic products sold from excise-duty warehouses of wholesale organisations, for excise duty taxes for alcoholic products sold from excise-duty warehouses of wholesale organisations, for excise duty taxes for oil products, for excise duty taxes for tobacco items and excise duty tax for excisable mineral raw materials (natural gas), as well as their filling procedures.

The Order shall apply beginning with the tax declaration for March 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on March 30, 2005. Reg. No. 6454.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 53-T of April 4, 2005 on the Fixing of the Rouble Equivalents for the Figures Envisaged in the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1346-U of December 1, 2003

Specifies rouble equivalents for the registered capital of created banks and non-bank organisations, own resources (capital) of operating credit organisations requesting the general license, as well as own resources (capital) of non-bank credit organisations requesting the status of a bank, for the II quarter of 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 206 of April 11, 2005 on the Federal Medical and Biological Agency

The Federal Medical and Biological Agency is a federal body of executive power in charge of control and enforcement in the sphere of sanitary and epidemiological well-being of employees of organisations of individual industries featuring specially hazardous working conditions and of the population of individual territories and the rendering of state services and state property management in the sphere of public health and social development, including the medical and sanitary support of employees of the covered organisations and population of the covered territories, rendering of medical and socio-medical aid, providing services in the sphere of sanatorium and resort treatment, arranging forensic expert evaluations, blood donorship, transplantation of human organs and tissues.

The Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia is supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of Russia.

Until January 1, 2006, activities of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia in control and enforcement in the sphere of sanitary and epidemiological well-being on the covered territories and in organisations shall be implemented by its federal state institutions.

Amounts of tariff rates (salaries) of the uniform tariff of labour remuneration of medical and pharmacy workers of the federal state institutions of public health and sanitary and epidemiological enforcement subordinate to the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia are increased by 25%, for other employees of the mentioned institutions - by 20%.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 205 of April 11, 2005 on the Minimum Norms of Nutrition and Material Support of the Convicts, As Well As the Norms of Nutrition and Material Support of the Suspects in Pre-Trial Isolation Wards of the Federal Service of Execution of Punishments and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation for Peacetime

Endorses the new minimum and additional norms of nutrition and material support form the mentioned persons.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 204 of April 11, 2005 on the Procedure for Making Payments and Transfers When the Residents Buy from Non-Residents Shares, Contributions, Parts of Property (Registered or Shared Capital, Shared Fund of the Cooperative) of Legal Entities, When the Residents Transfer Contributions under the Contracts of Simple Partnership with Non-Residents

When residents make payments and transfers to buy from non-residents shares, contributions, parts of property (registered or shared capital, shared fund of the cooperative) of legal entities, when the residents transfer contributions under the contracts of simple partnership with non-residents, they must reserve the amount of 25% of the equivalent of the carried out currency operation for 15 calendar days. The given reservation requirement does not apply to operations regulated by the Bank of Russia.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 203 of April 11, 2005 on the Interim Rates of the Import Customs Duties for Individual Types of Equipment

Reduces two times the rates of the import customs duties for individual types of equipment. The new rates are introduced for 9 months.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 191 of April 6, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Granting Subsidies from the Federal Budget in 2005 to Reimburse Part of Expenses to Pay the Interest under the Credits Received by Citizens Managing Personal Auxiliary Farms in Russian Credit Organisations for 1 to 3 Years

The Federal Agency for Agriculture of Russia shall transfer to the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation subsidies to reimburse part of expenses to pay the interest under the credits received by borrowers in the banks in 2005 to buy oils and lubricants, mineral fertilisers, means of protection of plants, fodders, veterinary preparations and other material resources for the seasonal works, as well as to pay insurance contributions to insure agricultural crops, as well as under the investment credits received by borrowers in the banks in 2005 for up to 3 years.

The subsidies shall be provided to borrowers from the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation on the monthly basis in the amount of 2/3 of expenses to pay the interest, however, not more than 2/3 of the actual rate of refinancing (bank rate) of the Bank of Russia on condition of the timely payment by the borrowers of the interest under the concluded contracts.

To get the subsidy, the borrowers shall submit to the authorised body of the subject of the Russian Federation application together with attached copies of the credit contract certified by the bank, excerpt from the loan account showing the getting of the credit, schedule of redemption of the credit and payment of interest, excerpt from the logbook of registration of the borrower as a subsidiary personal farm.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 59-T of April 8, 2005 on the Submission of Information on the Banks Setting Higher Interest Rates for the Deposits of Natural Persons

The Bank of Russia shall collect information for the period from March 2005 to January 2006 on the banks, including those failing to participate in the deposit insurance system, attracting monetary resources of natural persons at the interest rates higher than the average ones for the appropriate region. The Letter emphasises that the policy of such attraction of deposits may be stipulated by a number of reasons, including those that may not necessarily show the drawbacks or problems in the work of the particular bank.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 58-T of April 8, 2005 on the Revocation of the Operative Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 44-T of March 26, 2003 on the General Liquidity Normative (N5)

In view of the exclusion of the normative of general liquidity (N5), invalidates Operative Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 44-T of March 26, 2003 on the normative of general liquidity (N5).

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 55-T of April 6, 2005 on the Application of Individual Provisions of the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1548-U of February 7, 2005 on the Procedure of Opening (Closing) and Organisation of Work of the Mobile Station of Cash Operations of a Bank (Branch)

Explains individual provisions of Appendix 3 to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1548-U of February 7, 2005 specifying the requirements to the technical strength and outfit of mobile stations of cash services of the bank (branch). Lists the documents specifying technical requirements to the transport vehicles for transportation of monetary receipts and valuable cargo, their armoured protection, doors and manholes being bank protection means, to multi-layer protective glass, as well as the safes and storage facilities for values.

Declaration of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Central Bank of Russia No. 983p-P13/01-01/1617 of April 5, 2005 on the Strategy of Development of the Banking Sector in the Russian Federation for the Period until 2008

The strategy envisages an improvement of the normative legal support for the banking activities, termination of switchover of credit organisations to international standards of financial reports, creation of conditions to prevent the use of credit organisations for illegal purposes (first and foremost such as financing of terrorism and legalisation of incomes obtained in a criminal way), improving the quality of services provided by credit organisations.

The strategy envisages a further concentration and centralisation of capital, simplification of the procedure of opening and registration of a branch of the credit organisation.

From 2007, the requirements to the level of capitalisation of credit organisations will be increased: the requirement of sufficiency of capital, with the failure to observe it being regarded as grounds for obligatory revocation of the license for bank operations, will be set at the level of 10%. From 2007, there will also be a requirement to the minimum capital of operating banks in the amount of EUR 5 million. Operating banks with the capital below EUR 5 million as of January 1, 2007 will continue its activities on condition that their capital does not become lower than the level reached as of the moment of introduction of the mentioned requirements.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 208 of April 11, 2005 on the Interim Rate of the Import Customs Duty for Offset Printing Machines

Endorses for 9 months the import rate for the offset printing machines (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 8443 19 390 0) in the amount equal to zero (earlier, 5% of the customs cost).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Order of the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement No. 324 of December 22, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Organisation of Issue of Permissions by the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement to Import Poisonous Substances to the Russian Federation

Lists the documents to be submitted by the applicant to the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement to get the permission to import poisonous substances. Depending on the results of examination of submitted documents, the applicant gets a permission to import poisonous substances or a motivated refusal.

The Regulation does not apply to transit shipments of poisonous resources through the territory of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 11, 2005. Reg. No. 6495.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 14 of March 3, 2005 on the Amendments to the Order of the Federal Service of the Air Transport of Russia No. 125 of May 15, 2000

The rate of the fee for the air safety is fixed per ton of the maximum take-off weight of the air vessel or per dispatching passenger with a ticket, per kilogram of cargo, mail. If the rate per ton of the maximum take-off weight is applied, the weight in the airworthiness certificate is implied.

When the rate per passenger or kilogram of cargo, mail is applied, the fee is collected on the basis of information of the loadsheet.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 11, 2005. Reg. No. 6494.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 216 of March 16, 2005 on the Amendment to the Order of the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation No. 328 of August 23, 1999 on the Rational Assignment of Medicines, Rules of Prescribing Them and Procedure of Release by Apothecary Institutions (Organisations)

The list of the maximum permissible quantity of narcotic medicines permitted under one prescription is extended to include buprenorphine. Provides the form of issue and the dosage of the mentioned narcotic medicine.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2005. Reg. No. 6490.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1567-U of March 25, 2005 on the Amendments to the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1482-U of July 28, 2004 on the List of Securities Forming the Lombard List of the Bank of Russia

The Lombard List of the Bank of Russia shall include also "other bonds of resident legal entities of the Russian Federation". Decision to include or exclude particular emissions of bonds is taken by the Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia taking into account the following. The issuer of securities must have the rating of long-term solvency for obligations in foreign currencies in at least one of the foreign rating agencies, not lower than BB according to Standard&Poor`s or Fitch Ratings classification or Ва2 according to Moody`s classification, or obligations of issuer of securities must be backed by the state guarantees of the Russian Federation, its subjects.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2005. Reg. No. 6482.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1568-U of March 28, 2005 on the Procedure of Accounting Work in the Agent Banks and Bankrupt Banks for Operations Envisaged in the Direction of the Bank of Russia No. 1517-U of November 17, 2004 on the Payments of the Bank of Russia on the Deposits of Natural Persons in Bankrupt Banks Failing to Participate in the System of Obligatory Insurance of the Deposits of Natural Persons in the Banks of the Russian Federation and on the Procedure of Interaction of the Agent Banks with the Bank of Russia

Specifies the procedure of accounting work for operations pertaining to payments of the Bank of Russia by the agent banks on the deposits of natural persons in the bankrupt banks failing to participate in the system of obligatory insurance of deposits of natural persons in the banks of the Russian Federation and of accounting work in the bankrupt banks for the amounts of payments of the Bank of Russia.

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its official publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2005. Reg. No. 6481.

Order of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being No. 363 of March 21, 2005 on the State Registration of Products, Substances, Preparations by Territorial Departments of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being

From April 15, 2005, territorial departments of the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being shall provide for the state registration of drinking water, child nutrient products, child cosmetics, as well as cosmetics specially developed for professional use and cosmetic means of individual skin protection against adverse industrial factors.

The earlier issued sanitary and epidemiological statements for the products subject to the state registration shall preserve their force until expiry.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6479.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 160 of February 24, 2005 on the Determination of the Level of Damage to Health in Industrial Accidents

Provides a scheme of determination of the level of damage to health in industrial accidents. Industrial accidents are divided into two categories according to the level of damage: heavy and light.

The qualifying signs of the level of damage shall be the nature of injuries and complications associated with them, development and enhancing of available chronic diseases because of the injury, as well as the consequences of the received injuries.

Presence of one of the qualifying signs is enough to establish the category of the industrial accident.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 7, 2005. Reg. No. 6478.

Information Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 31 of March 31, 2005 "Issues of Application of the Federal Law No. 173-FZ of December 10, 2003 on Currency Regulation and Currency Control and the Normative Acts of the Bank of Russia"

Envisages paying out of dividends in foreign currencies without restrictions by residents from their current currency accounts in the authorised banks to non-residents for the stocks of Russian issuers being internal securities.

Authorised banks may collect payment for their fulfilled functions of currency control agents, including the clients having drawn up transaction certificates for the foreign-trade contracts in these banks. In this case, the banks may determine independently the amount and procedure of collection of payment for their fulfilled functions of currency control agents.

Explains that the field "Ranking of Payments" in the payment order of the Bank of Russia to return the reserved amount is not filled out.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 210 of April 12, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rates of Import Customs Duties for Hot-Cathode Luminescent Lamps and Individual Types of Filament Lamps

Endorses the rates of the import customs duties for hot-cathode luminescent and individual types of filament lamps. For example, the import rate for double-base lamps (code according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation 8539 31 100 0) amounts to 15% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 0.08 a piece (earlier, 15% of the customs cost).

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 39n of March 15, 2005 on the Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 66n of August 9, 2004

According to the amendments, the time limits for submission of the quarterly reports is set to 30 days within the end of the quarter, and for submission of annual reports - till April 25 of the year following the reported one.

The time limit for submission of reports on lotteries is changed in pursuance of the Decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. GKPI 04-1436 of December 14, 2004 stating that submission of the quarterly form of the report of a non-state lottery until 25th of the month following the reported quarter is not in compliance with the actual legislation on accounting work.

The Order is entered into force where it pertains to the time limit for submission of the quarterly report from the day of entry into force of the mentioned Decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2005. Reg. No. 6498.

Order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation No. 125 of March 3, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Checking and Evaluation of the Condition of the Functional and Territorial Subsystems of the Uniform State System of Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations

Specifies the procedure of checking and evaluation of the condition of the functional and territorial subsystems of the Uniform State System of Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations created by the bodies of executive power, bodies of local government and organisations to implement the authority in prevention and elimination of emergency situations, provide fire safety and people safety on the water objects.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2005. Reg. No. 6491.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 245 of March 31, 2005 on the Amendments to the List of Medicines

Amends the list of medicines handed out to doctor (feldsher) prescriptions in cases of additional free medical aid to individual categories of citizens entitled for the state social aid.

The Order is entered into force from June 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2005. Reg. No. 6485.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SEA-3-01/138@ of April 4, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Forms to Check the Estimates of Taxes, Fees, Contributions, Inform Taxpayers of the State of Estimates of Taxes, Fees, Contributions and Their Filling Methodology Directions

Endorses 4 forms of documents: Form 23 (full) "Act of Checking of Taxpayer Estimates of Taxes, Fees and Contributions", Form 23-a (short) "Act of Checking of Taxpayer Estimates of Taxes, Fees and Contributions", Form 39-1 "Certificate of the State of Estimates of Taxes, Fees and Contributions" and Form 39-1f "Certificate of the State of Estimates of Taxes, Fees, and Contributions". Also provides the rules of filling of the mentioned forms.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 56-T of April 6, 2005 on the Methodology Recommendations to Arrange the Checking of Observation by Credit Organisations of the Requirements of the Legislation of the Russian Federation and Normative Acts of the Bank of Russia in the Sphere of Combating of Legalisation (Laundering) of Incomes Obtained in a Criminal Way and Financing of Terrorism

According to the new methodology recommendations, credit organisations shall continue to carry out the checks of organisation of internal control of observation of the legislation of the Russian Federation and normative acts of the Bank of Russia in the sphere of combating legalisation (laundering) of incomes obtained in a criminal way and financing of terrorism. Credit organisations shall be checked for compliance of their activities with the provisions of the legislation of the Russian Federation and normative acts of the Bank of Russia in the mentioned sphere, as well as own rules of internal control.

The Letter lists the documents on internal control to be inspected in the credit organisation during the check. The check shall include identification of clients by the credit organisation, finding and identification of beneficiaries. The check shall also include observation of the requirement prohibiting the opening of anonymous accounts (deposits), prohibiting the opening of accounts (deposits) to natural persons without the personal presence of the person opening the account (deposit) or his representative, as well as prohibiting to maintain relations with non-resident banks that do not have permanent management bodies on the territory of the states where they are registered.

Accounting and cash documents are used to select operations of payments under real estate transactions, check the presence of documents permitting to establish the amount of the transaction with immovable property and qualify the given transaction as requiring obligatory control.

The check includes observation by the credit organisation of the requirements of suspension of operations with monetary resources or other property.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 214 of April 13, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Organisation and Carrying out of Works in Obligatory Confirmation of Compliance of the Means of Communication

Specifies the rules of obligatory confirmation of compliance of the means of communication used in a public-use communication network, as well as in technological communication networks and special-purpose communication networks if they are connected to a public-use communication network. The means of communication used in technological communication networks and special-purpose communication networks are subject to obligatory certification where it pertains to their connection to a public-use communication network.

The means of communication other than those included in the list of the means of communication subject to obligatory certification need compliance declaration. Compliance declaration includes adoption of a compliance declaration by the applicant on the basis of own proof and proof obtained from an accredited testing laboratory (centre).

Before the entry into force of the special acts, obligatory confirmation of compliance of the means of communication shall include compliance with the requirements specified in the normative legal acts of the Russian Federation adopted before July 1, 2003 and normative legal acts of the federal bodies of executive power in the sphere of communication adopted before January 1, 2004.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 212 of April 13, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rate of the Export Customs Duty for Individual Types of Cellulose

The rate of the export customs duty for the cellulose of wood, soda or sulphate, other than dissolving grades, unbleached, semi-bleached or bleached, coniferous (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature 4703 11 000 0, 4703 21 000 1, 4703 21 000 9) is fixed in the amount equal to zero.

The Decision is entered into force one month after the day of its official publication.

Letter of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-OV-01/4644 of March 30, 2005 on the Codes of Professional Ethics of the Management Companies, Specialised Depositories, Brokers Engaged in Activities Pertaining to the Generation and Investing of Resources of Accumulated Pensions

The codes of professional ethics of the management companies, specialised depositaries, brokers engaged in activities pertaining to the generation and investing of resources of accumulated pensions shall be adopted on the basis of the typical code endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 770 of December 12, 2004. The Letter lists the provisions to be included in the adopted codes.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 215 of March 29, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure for Checking Military Institutions of Higher Professional Education of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation

Defines the goals and directions of checking of military institutions of higher professional education of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, types of checks, their planning and arranging procedure, as well as criteria and procedure of assessment of the elements of the military educational institution and its structural divisions. The checks shall be arranged to control execution by educational institutions of the normative legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, acts of the Commander-in-Chief of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, personnel order for the training of officers of internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, assessment of quality of the educational process, other directions of activities of institutions of higher education, revealing drawbacks, rendering aid and dissemination of positive experience.

The checks of the military educational institutions are divided into inspection and control ones. Inspection checks include investigation, checking, assessment of condition and results of activities of the military educational institution, working out measures to improve the efficiency of the educational process. A control check includes investigation of the state of work to eliminate the drawbacks revealed in the coarse of inspection.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 8, 2005. Reg. No. 6488.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SAE-3-06/118@ of March 25, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on Exchange of Information in the Electronic Form Among the Tax Bodies of the Federal Tax Service of Russia on the Amounts of Indirect Taxes Paid to the Budgets of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus

Refines the procedure of exchange in the electronic form among the tax bodies of the Federal Tax Service of Russia of information on the amounts of indirect taxes paid to the budgets of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

The Regulation envisages a procedure of generation and transfer of information from applications for the import of commodities and payment of indirect taxes at the federal, regional (interregional) and local levels in the framework of the set of tasks "Automation of the Processes of Information Interaction of the Federal Tax Service of Russia and the Ministry of Taxation of the Republic of Belarus" (Belarus Exchange).

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-02-07/1-167 of March 23, 2005

In case of revealed facts of possible overpaid amounts of taxes, the tax body may send a suggestion to the taxpayer to verify jointly the paid taxes. Thus, the Tax Code does not envisage the duty of the tax bodies to verify the information of the tax bodies and the taxpayers of the paid taxes.

Federal Law No. 34-FZ of April 18, 2005 on the Amendments to Article 85 of the Federal Law on the General Principles of Organisation of Local Government in the Russian Federation

The bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation may specify before May 31, 2005 the procedure of election of the heads of the newly arranged municipal formations for the first term, as well as the status of the mentioned position in the structure of the bodies of local government, if the structure of the bodies of local Government is not defined at the local referendum (assembly of citizens).

When forming the contest commission for the examination of the candidates for the position of the head of the local administration of the municipal regions (city district), the bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation may assign the members of the contest commission in the amount equal to the number of members assigned by the representative body of the municipal formation when the contest for the position of the chief of the local administration is arranged by the representative body of the municipal formation of the first convocation.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the Plenum of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 11 of March 24, 2005 on Some Issues of Application of the Land Legislation

Legal entities having obtained land plots for permanent (unlimited) use before the entry into force of the Land Code may obtain them on lease terms or on the proprietary basis until January 1, 2006 at their choice regardless of the goal the land plots were granted for.

Non-normative acts of the authorised bodies granting land plots to citizens being independent entrepreneurs issued after the entry into force of the Land Code must be recognised as invalid or contradicting the law.

Independent entrepreneurs and legal entities possessing land plots on the basis of permanent (unlimited) use may not purchase on the proprietary basis free of charge land plots granted for entrepreneurial activities.

The prohibition specified in the law on the privatisation of state and municipal property for the legal entities with the share of the Russian Federation, subjects of the Russian Federation and municipal formations in the registered capital greater than 25% to buy state and municipal property does not apply to the privatisation by the mentioned legal entities of the land plots housing objects of immovable property possessed by them on the proprietary basis.

In case of a disagreement of the owner of the land plot with the decision of the bodies of power on the forced alienation of the land plot, or failure to reach an agreement on the buy-out price, the mentioned bodies may file a lawsuit to the court of arbitration to buy out the land plot no sooner than one year after the moment of receiving by the land owner of the written notification of the adopted decision of withdrawal, however, no later than within two years of the sending of such notification.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-04-08/60 of March 22, 2005 on the Application of the Value Added Tax to the Services of Transfer of Exclusive Rights

The reward paid out to the holder of rights being a Russian organisation in the form of a lumpsum and periodic (royalty) payments by the user being a foreign company, if the place of its activities is not the territory of the Russian Federation, is not subject to the value added tax.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 230 of April 18, 2005 on the Factor for Indexing the Monthly Insurance Payment for Obligatory Social Insurance against Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases

From January 1, 2005, the indexing coefficient for the amount of the monthly insurance payments for obligatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases set before January 1, 2005 will make 1.094.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 226 of April 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Financing in 2005 of Expenses for Social Programs, Including the Tied Social Aid to Non-Working Pensioners, and for the Measures to Eliminate the Consequences of Emergency Situations and Natural Disasters Pertaining to Tied Social Aid to Non-Working Pensioners at the Expense of Resources of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation

Specifies the procedure of allocation, spending and control over the use for the designated purposes of the resources of the Pension Fund intended to finance in 2005 the mentioned measures.

The financed social programs envisage, in particular, lumpsum material aid to non-working pensioners, purchase of the means of personal rehabilitation, items of daily necessity and subscription for periodicals.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 224 of April 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Method of Determination of the Aggregate Weighted Figure (Rating) of a Specialised Depositary During the Contest of 2005 to Select a Specialised Depositary to Conclude the Contract for the Services of a Specialised Depositary by the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation

Specifies the procedure of determination of the aggregate weighted figure (rating) of a specialised depositary to reveal the winner of the contest of 2005 to select the specialised depositary to conclude the contract for the services of the specialised depositary by the Pension Fund.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 223 of April 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the List of Commodities Where the Production and/or Sale Does Not Exempt the Organisation from the Land Tax for the Land Plots Used for Production or Sale of These Commodities

The mentioned list includes automobile tyres, hunting rifles, yachts, scooters (except for the special-purpose ones), items of ferrous and non-ferrous metals (other than recoverable and metal items), precious metals and stones, fur items (other than items for children), high-quality items of crystal and porcelain, caviar, as well as ready-made delicacies of valuable fishes and sea products.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 221 of April 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Rendering of Postal Communication Services

The rules shall regulate relations of users of postal communication and operators of public-use postal communication when they conclude and execute the contract for the postal communication services, as well as specify the rights and duties of the mentioned operators and users.

The services of postal communication are divided into universal postal communication services and other ones (including the postal money transfers, international dispatches, EMS services).

Depending on the method of processing, postal dispatches are divided into simple and registered ones.

In cases of failure to execute or improper execution of the duties of rendering of the postal communication services, the user may file a claim to the operator, including the one to reimburse the damage.

In cases of a violation of the time limits of transfer of postal dispatches and money transfers for personal, family, household and other needs other than entrepreneurial activities of citizens, the operators of postal communication shall pay out the penalty in the amount of 3% of the payment for the postal communication service for each overdue day, however, not more than the amount paid for such service, and for the violation of the time limit of delivery by air mail - the difference between the delivery by the air and the ground transport.

The Decision is entered into force from May 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 219 of April 15, 2005 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 643 of October 24, 2003

Amends the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation endorsing the rules of the wholesale market of electric power for the transient period. A new wording is provided for the list of the subjects of the Russian Federation whose territories are united in the pricing zones of the wholesale market of electric power for the transient period.

The Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of Russia is ordered to endorse the methodology directions on the procedure of calculation of technological losses of electric power taken into account in the equilibrium prices at the wholesale market of electric power for the transient period.

The contracts earlier concluded by the participants of the wholesale market of the second pricing zone envisaging the purchase and sale of electric power in the volumes recorded in the summary forecast of production and supplies of electric power shall preserve their force until expiry.

The Decision is entered into force from May 1, 2005.

Order of the Federal Tax Service, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. SAE-3-19/80@/53/34n of March 10, 2005 on the Implementation of the Provisions of the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 573 of October 21, 2004 on the Procedure and Terms of Financing of the Bankruptcy Proceedings of Absent Debtors

Endorses the list and the limiting amount of expenses due for compensation of the bankruptcy commissioner in charge of the bankruptcy proceedings of the absent debtor carried out to the application of the authorised body. Also endorses the lists of the documents confirming the right of the bankruptcy commissioner to get the remuneration and compensation pertaining to the bankruptcy proceedings.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 18, 2005. Reg. No. 6516.

Order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation No. 621 of December 28, 2004 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Working out and Coordination of the Plans to Prevent and Eliminate Spills of Oil and Oil Products on the Territory of the Russian Federation

Specifies general requirements to the planning of prevention and elimination of spills of oil and oil products and emergency situations because of the spills of oil and oil products. Also defines the procedure of coordination and endorsement of plans to prevent and eliminate such spills and appropriate calendar plans of operative measures in the presence of such hazards.

The requirements shall apply on the whole territory of the Russian Federation except for the vessels subject to international conventions involving the Russian Federation, and are obligatory for execution by all officials and specialists engaged in the mentioned activities.

The Order is entered into force from May 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6514.

Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation No. 48 of April 1, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of State Registration of Medicines for Animals and Nutrient Additives

Introduces a uniform procedure of the state registration of home- and foreign-made medicines for animals and nutrient additives except for the ones from modified organisms.

The state registration is vested in the Federal Service of Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Enforcement on the basis of the statement of the federal state institution "All-Russia State Centre of Quality Control and Standardisation of Medicines for Animals and Fodders" to be carried out within six months from the day of submission of the registration documents. The registered medicine or additive is entered in the State Register of Medicines and Nutrient Additives.

The introduced procedure of the state registration is obligatory for execution by legal entities and natural persons engaged in production, sale, use, as well as import to the territory of the Russian Federation, of medicines and additives.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6510.

Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 65 of March 10, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure of Issue of the State-Approved Documents of the Higher Professional Education, Filling and Storage of Appropriate Blank Documents

The state-approved documents of the higher professional education are issued in specialities and fields of training where the higher educational institution has state accreditation. State-approved blank diplomas of the higher professional education on the hard cover are used on the equal basis with the blank diplomas made without the hard cover since 2003.

The Order specifies the rules of issue of the diploma of unfinished higher professional education and the academic certificate, as well as the copies of diplomas.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 13, 2005. Reg. No. 6508.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 233 of April 18, 2005 on the Rules of Connection to Public-Use Railway Tracks of New, Being Built or Restored Public-Use and Non-Public-Use Railway Tracks and Closing of Public-Use Railway Tracks, Including Low-Intensity Lines and Portions and Railway Stations

Defines the procedure of taking decisions when carrying out works to connect to public-use railway tracks new, being built and resorted public-use and non-public-use railway tracks and closing of public-use railway tracks, including the low-intensity lines and portions and railway stations.

The rules do not apply to the temporarily closed public-use and non-public-use railway tracks if there are failures jeopardizing traffic safety and operation of the railway transport, security, technical condition of the rolling stock, containers or condition of cargo.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-6/pz-n of March 30, 2005 on the Amendments to the List of Officials of the Federal Service for Financial Markets Authorised to Draw up the Protocols of Administrative Violations Endorsed by the Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia No. 04-391/pz-n

The list includes now other officials of the territorial bodies of the Federal Service for Financial Markets specially authorised to control observation of the legislation in the sphere of financial markets (except for the insurance, banking and audit activities).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6526.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-7/pz-n of March 30, 2005 on the Amendments to the List of Officials of the Territorial Bodies of the Federal Service for Financial Markets Authorised to Draw up the Protocols of Administrative Violations Endorsed by the Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia No. 04-936/pz-n of November 12, 2004

The list includes now other officials of the territorial bodies of the Federal Service for Financial Markets specially authorised to control observation of the legislation in the sphere of financial markets (except for the insurance, banking and audit activities).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6524.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1571-U of April 11, 2005 on the Amendments to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 205-P of December 5, 2002 on the Rules of Accounting Work in Credit Organisations Located on the Territory of the Russian Federation

The chart of accounts for credit organisations is extended to include new Accounts 30232 (passive) and 30233 (active) "Unfinished Payments in Operations Using Pay Cards". The accounts are intended for recording the amounts of unfinished payments in operations committed using pay cards. The Direction excludes a number of accounts intended for payments using bank cards. Changes the description of Account 20208 "Monetary Resources in Cash Dispensers", 40903 "Pay Checks" and a number of other.

The list of operations of credit organisations subject to additional control shall include operations on Account 40820 "Accounts of Non-Resident Natural Persons".

The Direction is entered into force 10 days after the day of its publication in the Herald of the Bank of Russia.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6522.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-8/pz-n of March 30, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Composition and Structure of Assets of Joint-Stock Investment Funds and Assets of Shared Investment Funds

Specifies new requirements to the composition and structure of assets of joint-stock and shared investment funds. Thus, monetary resources available in the deposits in one credit organisation may comprise not more than 25% of the cost of assets. In this case, estimated cost of securities may not be greater than 50% of the cost of assets, municipal securities - not more than 10% of the cost of assets, and estimated cost of the bonds of Russian companies, bonds of foreign commercial organisations, securities of international financial organisations and securities of foreign states - not more than 10% of the cost of assets.

Depending on the composition of assets, the fund may be a monetary market one, bonds one, stocks one, fund of mixed investments, fund of direct investments, fund of risk (venture) investments, assets fund, fond of immovable property, mortgage fund or index fund.

The composition and structure of assets of investment funds must be brought in compliance with the new rules within one year from the date of entry into force of the Order.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6513.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 239 of April 19, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Working out, Endorsement and Implementation of the Tied Agency Programs

Defines the procedure of working out, endorsement and carrying out of the tied agency programs aimed at implementation by the subjects of the budget planning of the state policy in the specified spheres of activities, reaching the goals and tasks of socio-economic development, improving efficiency of expenses of the federal budget.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 238 of April 19, 2005 on the Financing in 2005 of Expenses to Make Additional Payments for Obligatory Medical Insurance for Non-Working Pensioners

The Pension Fund is ordered to finance in 2005 expenses to make additional payments for obligatory medical insurance for non-working pensioners in the amount of Rbl 9 billion proceeding from Rbl 300 per year per non-working pensioner.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 232 of April 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Compensation of Additional Expenses and/or Losses of the Budgets of Closed Administrative Territorial Formations Pertaining to the Special Security Regime

The compensation is implemented by granting inter-budget transfers from the federal budget. The transfers are allocated in the form of grants and subventions. The volume of inter-budget transfers for the subsequent fiscal year is determined by multiplying the volume of inter-budget transfers endorsed by the federal law on the federal budget for the current year by the forecasted in the subsequent fiscal year level of inflation (consumer price index).

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 228 of April 16, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Rules (Standards) of Audit Activities Endorsed by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 696 of September 23, 2002

The federal rules (standards) of audit activities are extended to include seven new standards.

Standard 17 "Getting Audit Evidence in Particular Cases" specifies uniform requirements to obtained audit evidence in cases of auditor presence during inventory taking of material and production reserves, disclosing of information on lawsuits and disputes, assessment and disclosing of information on long-term financial investments and disclosing of information on the reporting segments of financial (accounting) reports of the audited entity.

Standard 18 "Getting Confirmation from External Sources by the Auditor" specifies uniform requirements to information of confirmative nature from external sources (external confirmation) used by the auditor to obtain audit evidence.

Standard 19 "Particulars of the First Check of the Audited Entity" defines uniform requirements to the checks of the residues on accounts as of the beginning of the reported period when the audit check of financial (accounting) reports of the audited entity is carried out for the first time or when the audit check of the financial (accounting) reports of the audited entity for the previous period has been carried out by another auditor.

Standard 20 "Analytical Procedures" specifies uniform requirements to applied analytical procedures on the stage of planning and the final stage of the audit check.

Standard 21 "Particulars of Auditing of Estimated Values" specifies uniform requirements to the audit checks of estimated values in the financial (accounting) reports. The standard does not apply to forecasted or expected financial information, however, many of the procedures envisaged in it may be used for this purpose.

Standard 22 "Reporting Information Obtained As a Result of the Audit Check to the Management of the Audited Entity and Representatives of Its Owners" defines the requirements to the reported information obtained as a result of the audit check of the financial (accounting) reports to the management (leading officials) of the audited entity and representatives of the owner of this entity.

Standard 23 "Declarations and Explanations of the Management of the Audited Entity" specifies uniform requirements pertaining to declarations and explanations of the management of the audited entity as audit evidence, procedures of documentary support of the declarations and explanations of the management, as well as the auditor actions if the management of the audited entity refuses to present appropriate declarations and explanations.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 50n of March 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Tax Declaration for the Uniform Agricultural Tax and Its Filling Procedure

Endorses the form of the tax declaration for the uniform agricultural tax (KND Form 1151059) and its filling rules. The declaration is filled out by taxpayers using the system of taxation for agricultural producers (uniform agricultural tax) in compliance with Article 26.1 of the Tax Code for the tax (reported) period. At the end of the reported period, the declaration is submitted no later than within 25 days from the day of the end of the reported period. At the end of the tax period, the declaration is submitted: no later than March 31 by organisations and no later than April 30 by independent entrepreneurs of the year following the expired tax period.

The Order shall apply from the declaration for the first six months of 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6529.

Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 107 of April 8, 2005 on the Expert Evaluation of Text-Books

Specifies the procedure of expert evaluation of text-books to provide for the quality of text-books and building of the federal lists of text-books recommended (permitted) for use in educational institutions implementing the programs of the secondary education and possessing state accreditation. The goal of the expert evaluation is assessment of compliance of text-books with the present-day scientific knowledge taking into account the level of the educational program, as well as the requirements to the structure and methodology of the text-books corresponding to the age-specific and psychological particulars of the students.

The expert evaluation shall be vested in the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of Education and other organisations included in the special list.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 14, 2005. Reg. No. 6509.

Message of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of April 25, 2005

The Message of 2005 elaborates and makes more specific the previous Message of 2004 forming together a uniform program of actions for the nearest decade.

One of the main tasks is improving efficiency of state management, strict observation of legislation by state servants, providing quality services to the population by them. The following major task in the order of significance is strengthening of the Russian Federation, envisaging, in particular, a further enlargement of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The third task is an active policy of liberalisation of entrepreneurial environment.

Specially emphasised is the work of the tax and customs bodies. A priority in their activities must be the checking of execution of the tax and customs legislation rather then fulfilling "plans" of collection of taxes and fees. The Message also emphasises expediency of abolishing of the tax on the inherited property.

Federal Law No. 39-FZ of April 22, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Fundamentals of the System of Prevention of Unattended Behaviour and Delinquency of the Underage

Bad social behaviour of the underage shall include also systematic consumption of alcoholic and alcohol-containing products, beer and drinks on its basis (earlier, alcoholic drinks). In this case, the beer and drinks on its basis imply beer with the content of ethyl alcohol greater than 0.5% of the volume of the finished product and the drinks made on its basis with the mentioned content of ethyl alcohol.

Federal Law No. 38-FZ of April 22, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 12.24 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation

Provides a new wording for Article 12.24 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation "Violation of Traffic Rules or the Rules of Operation of a Transport Vehicle Inflicting a Light or Average-Degree Damage to the Health of the Victim". The Article shall include also and average-degree damage to the health of the victim. Such damage implies an administrative fine in the amount of 15 to 25 minimum amounts of labour remuneration or revocation of the driver's license for the period of 6 months to 1 year. The average-degree damage is implied to be a prolonged health impairment without jeopardising the human life or a significant stable loss of the general working ability by less than one third.

Federal Law No. 37-FZ of April 22, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 19 of the Federal Law on the Status of Servicemen

Students of military institutions of the secondary and higher professional education, before they conclude a contract for the military service, and the persons undergoing studies in general educational institutions with an additional military training for the underage may enjoy exemptions when they visit paid events organised by institutions of culture and sports.

Federal Law No. 36-FZ of April 21, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Funerals and Obsequial Activities

The amendments are aimed at legislative introduction of the norms pertaining to the creation and functioning of the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery, military memorial cemeteries and other burial places for the military envisaged in the Law of the Russian Federation No. 4292-1 of January 14, 1993 on the perpetuation of the memory of the diseased defendants of the Fatherland".

The Federal Law solves legal issues of destination, creation, agency affiliation and procedure of operation of the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery and other memorial military cemeteries.

Federal Law No. 35-FZ of April 21, 2005 on the Amendment to the Federal Law on the Higher and Post-Graduate Professional Education

Students of the federal state higher educational institutions of intra-mural studies getting education at the expense of the federal budget shall have their stipends increased from Rbl 400 to Rbl 500 from April 1, 2005 and up to Rbl 600 from September 1, 2005.

The Federal Law is entered into force from April 1, 2005.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 449 of April 20, 2005 "Issues of the Accumulated Mortgage System of Housing Support for Servicemen"

The Government of the Russian Federation is ordered to create a federal state institution "Federal Department of Accumulated System of Housing Support for Servicemen" to be unsupervised by the Ministry of Defence of Russia. Servicemen assigned to the mentioned federal state institution to positions with lower salaries shall preserve their salaries as of the earlier occupied positions before they may get higher salaries. Besides, such servicemen shall also get the earlier available additional payments.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 246 of April 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Reimbursement to Operators of Multiple Services of Losses Incurred Through Such Services

The losses shall be reimbursed in the amount not greater than the amount of reimbursement of losses specified in the contract for the multiple services concluded as a result of the contest, or the maximum amount of reimbursement of losses if the duty to provide the service was vested in the communication operator by the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation.

To determine and substantiate the amount of losses incurred through the rendering of multiple communication services, the operators of multiple services must keep separate records of incomes and expenses for the carried out types of activities for each subject of the Russian Federation where the multiple services are provided.

Reimbursement of losses shall be vested in the Federal Agency of Communication at the expense of the Reserve for Multiple Services.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 244 of April 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Composition, Procedure and Time Limits of Submission of Information on the Debts for Entry in the State Book of Debts of the Russian Federation

Defines the composition, procedure and time limits of submission of information on the debts in the form of the state loans implemented through the issue of securities in the name of the Russian Federation, as well as in the form of credit contracts concluded on behalf of the Russian Federation as a borrower, for entry in the State Debt Book.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 243 of April 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Generation and Spending of Resources of the Reserve for Multiple Services

The sources of generation of resources of the reserve are obligatory deductions of communication operators rendering communication services in a public-use communication network and other sources not prohibited by the law. Communication operators shall deduce on the quarterly basis 1.2% of the resources, the amount being estimated as the difference between incomes from the rendered services in a public-use communication network and incomes from the rendered services of connection and services of traffic transfer in a public-use communication network. The mentioned difference of incomes does not include the amounts paid out in the form of the value added tax. Deductions to the reserve are effected at the end of each quarter no later than the 30th of the month following the last month of the expired quarter.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 242 of April 21, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of State Regulation of Tariff Rates for Multiple Services

Defines the procedure and principles of regulation of tariff rates for the multiple services. Regulation applies to tariff rates for the following multiple communication services: providing local telephone connections using paid telephones; data transfer and Internet connection using collective-access points.

Tariff rates are calculated by the Federal Agency of Communication when they decide to arrange a contest for the multiple communication services and are included in the contract for multiple communication services.

Tariff rate per minute of local telephone connection using a paid telephone is determined as a ratio of the minimum of the amounts of user fees specified by the Federal Service of Tariff Rates of Russia in the subject of the Russian Federation to the average monthly volume of local telephone connections of the users of the local telephone network taken into account when calculating the mentioned user fee.

Tariff rate per megabyte of data when rendering the services of data transfer in Internet collective-access points is determined as a product of the tariff rate per minute of local telephone connection by the time necessary to transfer 1 megabyte of data with the transfer rate of 19.2 kb/s.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 241 of April 21, 2005 on the Measures to Arrange Multiple Communication Services

The rendering of multiple communication services is vested in a communication operator providing communication services in a public-use communication network on the basis of the contract concluded with the Federal Agency of Communication as a result of the contest or on the basis of the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation. The communication operator having concluded the contract must start providing multiple communication services no later than within 6 months from the date of concluding the contract.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-3/pz-n of March 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Licensing Procedure for the Types of Professional Activities at the Securities Market

The Order regulates relations between the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia and legal entities pertaining to the licensing of the types of professional activities at the securities market. The endorsed procedure is used to license broker, dealer, depositary, clearing activities, as well as activities in the management of securities, keeping of the Register of Holders of Securities and organisation of trade at the securities market and/or stock exchange. When applying for the first time, the applicant gets the license valid for three years. Unrestricted license is issued only for the type of activities at the securities market where there is license for three years as of the moment of taking of the decision by the licensing body to issue the unrestricted license.

The Order lists the types of activities permitted for combining at the securities market.

The Order is entered into force 10 days after the date of its official publication. The provision requiring the licence holder to have at least one controller as his main job is entered into force 3 months after the date of entry into force of the Order.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6533.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 45n of March 23, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation

The Regulation shall specify the rules of organisation of work of the Ministry of Finance of Russia in implementation of its functions and authority, including the general rules of organisation of interaction of the Ministry of Finance of Russia with the federal bodies of executive power supervised by it.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 19, 2005. Reg. No. 6518.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-04-08/104 of April 20, 2005 on the Submission to the Tax Bodies of the Tax Declarations for the Value Added Tax for March and the I Quarter of 2005 Using the Forms Endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. BG-3-03/644 of November 20, 2003 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Declarations for the Value Added Tax

The taxpayers may submit to the tax bodies tax declarations for the mentioned tax period using both the forms endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. BG-3-03/644 of November 20, 2003 on the endorsement of the forms of declarations for the value added tax and the forms endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia No. 31n of March 3, 2005 on the endorsement of the forms of tax declarations for the value added tax and indirect taxes (value added tax and excises) for the cases of import of commodities to the territory of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Belarus and their filling procedures.

Decision of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation No. 1764-IV GD of April 20, 2005 on the Procedure of Application of the Decision of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on the Amnesty Relative to the 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45

Decision to apply the act of amnesty is taken for each person individually. In the absence of necessary information on this person, examination of the issue of application of the act of amnesty is postponed until additional documents are received.

The Decision on the amnesty applies to those having committed the crimes before its entry into force and the convicts serving the term on the territory of the Russian Federation. The Decision lists the categories of persons subject to the amnesty. Serving the term by the convicts is terminated from the day of endorsement of the decisions on the application of the act of the amnesty by the prosecutor.

The persons falling under the Decision on the amnesty are not exempted from administrative responsibility and the duty to reimburse the damage incurred as a result of illegal actions committed by them.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Decision of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation No. 1761-IV GD of April 20, 2005 on the Amnesty Relative to the 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45

The punishment in the form of imprisonment shall not apply to the convict veterans of the Great Patriotic War, former prisoners of concentration camps, ghettos, other places of imprisonment created by the nazi Germany and its allies during World War II. Exemption from punishment shall also apply to those on probation, those with suspended punishment, as well as those convicted to punishment other than imprisonment. Besides, such citizens are exempted from additional types of unexecuted punishments. The mentioned persons shall be cleared off the criminal record.

Criminal cases processed by the bodies of preliminary investigation, as well as the criminal cases processed by the courts where the proceedings have not started yet, pertaining to crimes committed by the mentioned persons shall be terminated.

The Decision is entered into force from the day of its official publication and must be executed within six months.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 249 of April 22, 2005 on the Terms and Procedure of Granting in 2005 of Resources of the Federal Budget Allocated for the State Support of Small Businesses Including the Peasant (Farmers') Enterprises

Resources of the federal budget envisaged in 2005 for the state support of small businesses shall be granted by the Ministry of Economic Development on the contest basis to the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation in the form of subsidies to finance the measures in the framework of the state support of small businesses.

The state support shall not be granted to organisations and independent entrepreneurs engaged in production of excisable commodities, as well as extraction and sale of mineral resources, participants of the product-sharing agreements, as well as non-residents.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 64-T of April 20, 2005 on the S.W.I.F.T. Registration of Credit Organisations

Credit organisations registered in the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (S.W.I.F.T.) are recommended to present to ROSSWIFT in the electronic form before July 1, 2005 information on the abbreviated name, organisational and legal form and actual address of the credit organisation in English.

Federal Law No. 40-FZ of April 26, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Lithuanian Republic on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Avoidance of Payment of Taxes for the Incomes and Capital Taxes

Ratifies the Agreement signed in Moscow on June 29, 1999. The Agreement applies to the incomes and capital taxes and permits the residents to enjoy exemptions from the paid amount of tax in the amount of tax due for payment in the other contracting state if the national legislation does not envisage a more beneficial taxation.

Ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 36-O of January 18, 2005 on the Refusal to Accept for Consideration the Appeal of the Open-Type Joint-Stock Company "Oil Company Yukos" against Violation of the Constitutional Rights and Freedoms by Provisions of Item 7 of Article 3 and Article 113 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

The applicant challenged constitutionality of the provision of Article 113 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation stating that an entity may not be called to account for a tax violation if three years (period of limitation) have passed from the day of committing the violation or the day following the end of the tax period when the violation was committed. Earlier, the Arbitration Court of the city of Moscow, when examining the case, did not apply the provision on the term of limitation for the tax liability because of the revealed taxpayer unfairness. According to the Arbitration Court of the city of Moscow, the norms of the tax legislation providing the rights or guarantees to bona fide taxpayers, may not apply to unfair ones.

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation emphasised that the universal application of the conclusions of this kind is not permissible in this case, and may not serve as grounds to deprive the applicant of the guarantees specified in Article 113 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 248 of April 22, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Carrying out of the Contest for the Multiple Communication Services

Defines the procedure of organisation and carrying out of the contest for the right of rendering of multiple communication services to select communication operators rendering services in a public-use communication network to get this right, as well as the procedure of concluding the contract for such services. The contest organiser shall be the Federal Agency of Communication.

Order of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Ministry of the Industry and Power Supplies of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 73/81/58n of April 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure Defining the Notion of "Industrial Assembly" and Specifying Application of the Given Notion for the Cases of Import to the Territory of the Russian Federation of Automobile Components to Produce Motor Vehicles of Headings 8701-8705 of the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature and Their Units

"Industrial assembly" of motor vehicles implies a system of serial production on the basis of production processes providing for design production capacities of the enterprise at least 25,000 units per year with a two-shift working cycle including the types of works listed in the Order.

Import of automobile components classified under the codes of the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature of the Russian Federation for "industrial assembly" of motor vehicles is implemented on the basis of the agreement concluded between the Ministry of Economic Development and the Russian legal entity.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 25, 2005. Reg. No. 6543.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-4/pz-n of March 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Standards of Issue of Securities and Registration of Securities Prospectuses

The new standards of issue of securities and registration of prospectuses of securities define the rules regulating the issue of securities, issuer options and bonds of legal entities, procedure of registration of prospectuses of securities. The document does not apply to the issue of state and municipal securities, as well as the issue of the bonds of the Bank of Russia. The new document contains significant changes as compared to the earlier available Standards of Issue endorsed by the Decision of the Federal Commission for Securities Market of Russia No. 03-30/ps of June 18, 2003.

The Order introduces a requirement to present the documents of payment of the state duty for the examination of the application and for the state registration. Lifts restrictions prohibiting professional participants of the securities market to render services to issuers to prepare prospectuses of securities (services of a financial advisor at the securities market) in the presence of any civil obligations between them. Introduces a requirement to disclose information of such obligations in the prospectus of securities.

Removes individual additional functions of financial advisors at the securities market pertaining to control over the placing of securities and disclosing of information in the course of issue of securities.

Removes obstacles preventing the purchase of securities in the course of their placing by professional participants rendering the services of a financial advisor to the issue or services of placing the securities (underwriting), as well as any securities of the issuer before the state registration of the report of the results of issue of securities.

Introduces a new price-forming mechanism for the placing of securities on the basis of the special terms of tenders (auction) envisaging the sending of two types of purchase applications (competitive - in prices and non-competitive), defining the minimum offering price (cut-off price) by the issuer and satisfaction of submitted requests.

Introduces the rule of endorsement of the report of the results of issue of securities by the person implementing the functions of the personal executive body of the issuer.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6531.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia No. 63-T of April 20, 2005 on the Inclusion of Securities in the Lombard List of the Bank of Russia

The list of securities included in the Lombard List of the Bank of Russia shall include the bonds of the loans of the city of Moscow with the state registration numbers of issues RU27041MOS, RU25042MOS.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-05-01-07/6 of March 28, 2005

The taxpayer may reduce the taxable base for the incomes tax of natural persons not only for expenses for construction or purchase of dwelling space in the monetary form, but also when the rights are handed over under a promissory note. Meanwhile, the promissory note handed over in payment of the cost of the dwelling space may be recognises as taxpayer expenses only if it was purchased by him from a third party in the framework of civil relations. The promissory note issued to the seller in his own name in payment for the cost of the dwelling space may not be recognised as expenses, since the maker of the promissory note does not hand over any property to the seller of the dwelling space, but only assumes obligation to make the payment under the promissory note in the future.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 273 of April 11, 2005 on the Follow-up Treatment (Rehabilitation) under Sanatorium Conditions

Endorses the procedure of accommodation of employees for the follow-up treatment directly after a stationary treatment in specialised sanatoria (departments). The procedure defines the principles of organisation of the joint work of the Social Insurance Fund and its regional divisions, bodies of public health of the subjects of the Russian Federation and institutions of preventive treatment providing follow-up treatment (rehabilitation) for the insured working citizens directly after a stationary treatment.

Provides recommendations on the choice of individual patients on medical grounds for accommodation in specialised sanatoria (departments).

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 21, 2005. Reg. No. 6541.

Order of the Federal Treasury No. 1n of March 22, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Providing Cash Services for the Execution of the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation and Local Budgets by the Territorial Bodies of the Federal Treasury

The endorsed procedure shall regulate relations emerging in the process of carrying out and recording by the territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury of operations in the currency of the Russian Federation of entry and writing off of resources from the account of the budget of the subject of the Russian Federation.

The Order shall enter into force from January 1, 2006.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 20, 2005. Reg. No. 6539.

Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation No. 54 of April 11, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Use in 2005 of the Subsidies Provided from the Federal Budget to the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation to Compensate Part of Expenses of Agricultural Producers to Insure Agricultural Crops with the Normative (Method) of Determination of the Amount of Subsidies by the Subjects of the Russian Federation

Resources of the federal budget shall be transferred in the form of subsidies to the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation by the Federal Agency for Agriculture in accordance with the summary budget list of the federal budget within the limits of the endorsed budget obligations and volumes of financing. The subsidies are allocated to agricultural producers to compensate 50% of the paid insurance premium (insurance contribution) under the contract of insurance of agricultural crops. The Order lists the terms of granting of subsidies. In particular, the subsidies are provided only to insure the crops of winter grains, spring grains and legumes, oil-bearing, sugar beet, rice, soybean and fibre flax.

To get the subsidies, agricultural producers shall submit to the authorised body of executive power of the subject of the Russian Federation an estimate certificate drawn up to the form endorsed by the Order and copies of contracts of insurance and the documents certifying the payment of the insurance premium (insurance contribution) under the concluded insurance contracts.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 19, 2005. Reg. No. 6520.

Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation No. 53 of April 11, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Use in 2005 of the Subsidies Provided from the Federal Budget to the Budgets of the Subjects of the Russian Federation for the State Support of Individual Sectors of Agricultural Production with the Normatives (Method) of Determination of the Amount of Subsidies by the Subjects of the Russian Federation

Resources of the federal budget shall be provided to legal entities of any organisational and legal form, as well as the peasant (farmers') enterprises, in the form of subsidies to support animal breeding, including the sheep breeding, mother seed production, production of flax and hemp, purchase of chemical agents, support of grain delivery to the northern and mountain regions of the country, support of setting up and maintenance of perennial plants.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 19, 2005. Reg. No. 6519.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 262 of April 28, 2005 on the Transfer of the Day-Off in May 2005

Day-off of Saturday, May 14, 2005 is transferred to the Tuesday of May 10, 2005 for the purpose of rational use of the days-off and non-working holidays by employees.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 222 of April 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Rendering of Telegraphy Services

The endorsed rules shall regulate relations among the citizens, independent entrepreneurs, legal entities and communication operators providing telegraphy services in a public-use communication network. The rules are obligatory for communication operators and users. The working regime of the objects of communication necessary for the provided telegraphy services shall be specified by the communication operator independently.

Tariff rates for the services of the telegraphy communication shall be specified by the communication operator also independently if otherwise is not envisaged in the legislation on natural monopolies. The list of services of the telegraphy communication where tariff rates are regulated by the state, as well as their regulation procedure, are specified by the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Rules are entered into force from May 1, 2005.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 249 of April 1, 2005 on the Organisation of Extra Medical Aid to Individual Categories of Citizens

The Order shall regulate relations pertaining to consideration by the medical commission of the federal institution of public health of the medical documents of individual categories of citizens to provide extra medical aid.

The medical commission shall take the decision to accept the citizen for treatment in the given federal institution of public health or to prolong his treatment in the treatment and prevention institution at the place of residence or work no later than within 14 days from the date of receiving of the medical documents of the citizen, or no later than within 7 days in cases of personal examination.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6555.

Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 55n of April 8, 2005 on the Procedure of Registration of the Payers of the Gambling Tax

Specifies the rules of registration of organisations and independent entrepreneurs being the payers of the gambling tax. Lists the documents to be submitted to the tax bodies for registration.

The registration is carried out no later than within five days from the day of submission of the application for the registration of the object (objects) of taxation for the gambling tax. The tax bodies must hand out (send by mail) the notification of registration within the mentioned time limits.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6554.

Order of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation No. 68 of April 4, 2005 on the Places of Declaring of Individual Types of Commodities

Lists the customs bodies possessing enough technical means to apply the electronic form of declaring being the place of declaring of individual types of commodities imported by the highway transport to recipients in Moscow and the Moscow Province.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6551.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-5/pz-n of March 16, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Disclosing of Information by Issuers of Emission Securities

The endorsed Regulation shall regulate the composition, procedure and time limits of obligatory disclosing of information by a joint-stock company, disclosing of information at the stages of issue of emission securities, disclosing of information in the form of securities prospectus, quarterly report of the issuer of securities and reports of significant facts (events, actions) pertaining to financial and economic activities of the issuer of securities. Also specifies the requirements to the procedure of disclosing by issuers of other information on the execution of issuer obligations and implementation of the rights for the placed securities.

The Regulation applies to all issuers, including the foreign ones and international financial organisations, whose securities are being placed and/or are available in circulation in the Russian Federation. The Regulation does not apply to the Bank of Russia, as well as the issuers of state and municipal securities.

As compared to the earlier available Regulation endorsed by the Decision of the Federal Commission for Securities Market of Russia No. 03-32/ps of July 2, 2003, the new Regulation contains a number of significant changes. Thus, the rule is removed requiring to notify the trade organiser at the securities market of the intention and contents of the disclosed information at least 30 minutes in advance of its disclosing in the newsreel.

The Order introduces a requirement of the disclosing by joint-stock companies obliged to disclose information at the securities market of accounting reports (quarterly, annual, personal, consolidated) prepared to International Accounting Standards or US GAAP, as well as the contents of such reports, and in case of its audit - also the final part of the audit statement.

The text of the annual and the quarterly reports must be available on the Internet page for at least three years after the date of its publication in the Internet.

The Order is entered into force 10 days after the date of its official publication, except for the provisions where other time limits are specified for the entry into force.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6550.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 33 of April 6, 2005 on the Endorsement of the List of Officials of the Federal Bailiff Service Authorised to Draw up the Protocols of Administrative Violations

Lists officials of the Federal Bailiff Service of Russia authorised to draw up the protocols of administrative violations envisaged in Articles 17.3-17.9, part 1 of Article 19.4, part 1 of Article 19.5, Articles 19.6, 19.7 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6549.

Ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 21-O of February 24, 2005 on the Refusal to Accept for Consideration the Appeal of Citizen A.A.Mikhalin against Violation of his Constitutional Rights by Article 4 of the Law of the Kaliningrad Province on the System of Taxation in the Form of the Uniform Imputed Income Tax for Individual Types of Activities

In his appeal, the applicant stated that the amount of the uniform tax calculated on the basis of the mentioned Law was in excess of the amount of income actually received by him, which impedes entrepreneurial activities.

The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation explained that the uniform imputed income tax in its nature is not aimed at impairing taxpayer status, but its introduction and calculation must provide for implementation of such principle of the tax legislation as taking into account the taxpayer actual ability to pay the tax.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 258 of April 27, 2005 on the Paying out in 2005 of the Preliminary Compensation (Compensation) under the Deposits in the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to Individual Categories of Citizens of the Russian Federation

Defines the procedure of paying out in 2005 to individual categories of citizens of the Russian Federation of the preliminary compensation (compensation) under the deposits in the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation as of June 20, 1991 being their guaranteed savings.

The preliminary compensation in the amount of up to Rbl 1,000 is paid out to citizens born until 1950 inclusive, group I invalids, group II invalids (born until 1960 inclusive), parents, as well as trustees, of invalid children, invalids from childhood, as well as the parents whose sons have undergone draft military service and were killed (diseased) during their service in peacetime. The first priority heirs of the mentioned persons shall get the preliminary compensation regardless of the age of the diseased holder of the deposits.

The preliminary compensation includes Rbl 1,000 (proceeding form the nominal value of the banknotes in 1991) from the deposit exceeding this amount or the whole of the deposit if its amount is not greater than Rbl 1,000. The amount of the preliminary compensation is being indexed depending on the length of its keeping.

Besides, the mentioned citizens shall get compensation in the amount of the residue of the deposits as of June 20, 1991 (proceeding form the nominal value of the banknotes in 1991). The amount of the compensation shall also depend on the length of their keeping.

Participants and invalids of the Great Patriotic War, as well as their heirs, shall also get an additional compensation in the amount of the residue of the deposits as of June 20, 1991.

The Decision specifies the particulars of paying out of the compensation under the deposits to pay for the ritual services.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 257 of April 27, 2005 on the Procedure and Amounts of Reimbursement of Court Expenses Suffered by Citizens and/or Associations of Citizens, As Well As Their Representatives, Because of Participation in Constitutional Proceedings

If a federal law, law of the subject of the Russian Federation or individual provisions of the mentioned laws are recognised as not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, reimbursement of the court expenses to those applying to the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation shall be made at the expense of resources of the federal budget or the budget of the subject of the Russian Federation having adopted the law.

Reimbursement to applicants and their representatives applies to travelling expenses to the place where they apply and back to the place of residence (service), lodging expenses, daily allowance, compensation for the actual loss of time pertaining to visits to the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, postal expenses and the state duty.

Order of the Federal Antimonopoly Service No. 12 of February 2, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Processing of Cases of Violation of the Antimonopoly Legislation

Specifies organisational and legal fundamentals of processing of cases of violation of the antimonopoly legislation by the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia and its territorial bodies.

The grounds for initiation and processing of the cases of violations of the antimonopoly legislation may include representations of the bodies, applications of organisations and natural persons. The cases of violation of the antimonopoly legislation may be processed by the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia at their own initiative, including the results of carried out checks.

The decision or order of the antimonopoly body may be appealed against within 3 months from the day of its adoption or issue.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6557.

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation No. 38 of April 12, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure of Execution of Punishments and Measures of Criminal Nature without Detention

Defines organisation of work of the criminal execution inspections in execution of punishments in the form of deprivation of the right to occupy certain positions or engage in certain activities, obligatory works, corrective labour, control over the convicts on probation, convicted expecting mothers and mothers of children up to fourteen years of age waiting delayed punishment, as well as prevention of crimes and other violations by the persons registered in inspections.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 25, 2005. Reg. No. 6542.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 275 of April 30, 2005 on the Control over the Quality of Grain and Products of Its Processing When Importing to the Russian Federation and Exporting form the Russian Federation

The federal state institution "Federal Centre of Assessment of Safety and Quality of Grain and Products of Its Processing" supervised by the Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Enforcement is empowered for three months with the function of issue of certificates of quality of grain and products of its processing at import and export.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 273 of April 30, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Rules of Paying out of Additional Monthly Material Support to Some Categories of Citizens of the Russian Federation in View of the 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45

Additional monthly material support in the amount of Rbl 1,000 shall be paid out to the invalids of the Great Patriotic War, former underage prisoners of concentration camps, ghettos and other places of imprisonment created by the fascists and their allies during World War II.

Additional monthly material support in the amount of Rbl 500 shall be paid out to servicemen having undergone military service from June 22, 1941 to September 3, 1945 for at least 6 months in military units, institutions, military educational institutions other than those involved in action, servicemen awarded with the orders or medals of the USSR for the service in the mentioned period.

Widows of servicemen killed during the war with Finland, Great Patriotic War and war with Japan, widows of diseased invalids, persons awarded with the badge "Resident of Blockaded Leningrad", as well as the former grown up prisoners of nazi concentration camps, prisons and ghettos shall get additional support in the amount of Rbl 500.

Applying for the additional monthly material support, its assigning and paying out is arranged according to the procedure specified for the assigning and paying out of the appropriate pension or monthly permanent alimony of judges.

Additional monthly material support shall be assigned and paid out from May 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 267 of April 28, 2005 on the Amendment to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 72 of February 10, 2004

The time limit for the entry into force of the amendments stating that medicines are excluded from the list of commodities subject to obligatory certification and included in the list of commodities requiring compliance declaration is shifted from May 1, 2005 to May 1, 2006.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 266 of April 28, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Form of the Application for the Rearrangement of the Dwelling Space and the Form of the Document Confirming Adoption of the Decision Coordinating the Rearrangement of the Dwelling Space

Endorses the form of the application for the rearrangement of the dwelling space to be submitted to the body of local government together with the documents of title for the dwelling space, rearrangement project, technical certificate, agreement of the leaseholder family members and the statement of the body in charge of protection of monuments of architecture, history and culture.

Also endorses the form of the documents confirming the adoption of the decision coordinating the rearrangement of the dwelling space.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 237 of April 19, 2005 on the Exemption from the Customs Fees for the Customs Registration of Professional Equipment Moved Across the Customs Border of the Russian Federation to Cover the Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45

Exemption from the customs fees for the cases of temporary import and back export (re-export) applies to the professional equipment moved from April 20, 2005 to May 15, 2005 by representatives of foreign mass media accredited to cover the official and other events in view of the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45.

Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-03-02-02/50 of March 18, 2005

Independent entrepreneurs applying the system of taxation for agricultural producers, before amendments are introduced in Chapter 26.1 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, may apply the procedure of keeping records of incomes, expenses and economic operations similar to the one used by taxpayers applying the simplified system of taxation.

Decision of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 13592/04 of March 29, 2005

The taxpayer having paid on the voluntary basis arrears in taxes, as well as penalties and fines, in compliance with the decision of the tax inspection later recognised as erroneous may return the transferred amount together with the interest.

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1572-U of April 12, 2005 on the Amendments to the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 255-P of March 29, 2004 on the Obligatory Reserves of Credit Organisations

The amendments envisage the offsetting of the residues of monetary resources available not only on the correspondent account of the parent office of the credit organisation, but also on the correspondent subaccounts of its branches opened in the Bank of Russia as an execution of the duty of credit organisations to level the obligatory reserves.

The Direction is entered into force from June 1, 2005.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6561.

Letter of the Central Bank of Russia, Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 70-T, 01-SSh/54 of April 28, 29, 2005 on the Bank Reserves Built in Compliance with the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 254-P of March 26, 2004

In the reserve for the debts in loans available before August 1, 2004 as a standard one (group one risk) according to the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 62a of June 30, 1997 and transferred to quality categories 2 to 5 according to the Regulation No. 254-P, amounts of the earlier created reserve failing to reduce the taxable base for the profit tax should be restored by the incomes exempted from taxation, while building simultaneously a new reserve qualifying it as expenses reducing the taxable base. Reserves by portfolios of homogenous loans are built in a similar way.

Letter of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-OV-03/5060 of April 6, 2005 on the Payment for the Stocks in Foreign Currencies

Since normative acts of the Bank of Russia do not envisage at present opportunities of paying with foreign currencies for the internal securities and do not specify a procedure for carrying out currency operations with internal securities, payment for the stocks placed by Russian joint-stock companies in foreign currencies shall not be permitted.

Letter of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-OV-03-3/5067 of April 6, 2005 on the Payment Documents to Pay the State Duty for the Legally Significant Actions Pertaining to the State Registration of the Issues (Additional Issues) of Securities, As Well As Other Actions Envisaged in Item 1 of Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

Provides information on the filling of the payment documents used to pay the state duty by the persons involved in legally significant actions pertaining to the state registration of issues (additional issues) of securities.

Letter of the Department of the Tax and Customs Tariff Policy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-03-01-04/1/137 of March 30, 2005

Expenses for the payment of the state duty for the registration of the transport vehicle shall be included in other expenses pertaining to sale and not included in the initial cost of the main vehicle.

Letter of the Department of the Tax and Customs Tariff Policy of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 03-03-01-02/94 of March 29, 2005

Repayment supplement to the actual earnings in excess of the amounts reimbursed by insurance payments and payments of the employer, however, not greater than Rbl 12,480, must be taken into account for profit taxation purposes as labour remuneration expenses.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 281 of May 4, 2005 on the Amendments to the Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 78 of January 24, 1995

Organisations licensed to produce blank forms of securities, as well as to make printed items protected against forgery, including blank forms of securities, as well as to sell the mentioned items, shall present to the Federal Tax Service of Russia on the monthly basis 6 copies of all produced blank forms together with attached quality certificates. Earlier, the blank forms must have been presented to the Ministry of Finance of Russia.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 280 of May 4, 2005 on the Paying out in 2005 to Individual Categories of Citizens of the Russian Federation of the Preliminary Compensation (Compensation) on the Deposits (Contributions) in the State Insurance Organisations (Open-Type Joint-Stock Company "Russian State Insurance Company" and the Companies of the Rosgosstrakh System)

Preliminary compensation on the deposits (contributions) shall be paid out in the amount of Rbl 1,000 to citizens born until 1950 inclusive, group I invalids, group II invalids born until 1960 inclusive, parents and trustees of invalid children and invalids from childhood, as well as the parents whose sons have undergone draft military service and were killed (diseased) during the service in peacetime. The compensation shall be paid out from September 1, 2005.

The preliminary compensation shall include either Rbl 1,000 of the deposit (contribution) for each insurance contract if the amount of the deposit (contribution) transferred (paid) as of January 1, 1992 (proceeding from the nominal value of the currency notes in 1991) is equal to or greater than Rbl 1,000, or the whole of the deposit (contribution) if its amount is not greater than Rbl 1,000.

The amount of the preliminary compensation on the deposits (contributions) depends on the year of termination of the insurance contract and the year of paying out of the insurance (buy out) amount to the holder of the deposits (contributions) and is determined using the attached scale of coefficients.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 279 of May 3, 2005 on the Radio Frequency Service

The State Radio Frequency Service of the Ministry of Information and Communication of Russia shall be renamed into the Radio Frequency Service and handed over to the Federal Agency for Communication. The Radio Frequency Service shall form a uniform system including the Main Radio Frequency Centre supervised by the Federal Agency for Communication (Moscow City) and the radio frequency centres of the federal districts. The task of the Radio Frequency Service is implementation of organisational and technical measures to ensure a proper use of radio frequencies or radio frequency channels, radio electronic means and/or high-frequency devices of civilian destination.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 278 of May 3, 2005 on Additional Restrictions on the Investing of Savings for the Housing Support of Servicemen and the Maximum Shares in the Aggregate Investment Portfolio of Individual Classes of Assets

Specifies the maximum shares of individual classes of assets in the aggregate investment portfolio of the management companies in charge of the trust control of the savings for the housing support of servicemen. Thus, the maximum share for the state securities of the subjects of the Russian Federation amounts to 40%, for the stocks of Russian issuers created in the form of open-type joint-stock companies: 45% in 2005, 55% in 2006, and 65% from 2007 on.

Order of the Federal Tax Service No. SAE-3-02/173@ of April 21, 2005 on the Invalidation of the Methodology Recommendations on the Application of Chapter 25 "Profit Tax from Organisations" of Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation

Invalidates the Methodology Recommendations on the Application of Chapter 25 "Profit Tax from Organisations" of the Tax Code endorsed by the Order of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia No. BG-3-02/729 of December 20, 2002 with amendments.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. 03-1-03/474/13 of March 31, 2005 on the Value Added Tax

Free distribution of products of mass media, as well as their distribution on the paid basis, shall be qualified as a sale of commodities (works, services) and shall form an object of taxation for the value added tax according to the commonly accepted procedure.

Federal Law No. 49-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 185 of the Budget Code of the Russian Federation

The amendment removes a technical and legal error in the reference of Article 185 of the Budget Code.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 48-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Laws on the Investing of Resources to Finance the Accumulated Part of the Labour Pension in the Russian Federation, on Non-State Pension Funds and on the Personified Record Keeping in the System of Obligatory Pension Insurance

Changes the procedure and time limits of implementation by the insured of the right of choice of the investment portfolio (management company) or a non-state pension fund providing obligatory pension insurance and for the transfer to the Pension Fund from a non-state pension fund providing obligatory pension insurance.

Changes the time limits of informing of the insured of the condition of the special part of his personal account and the results of investments from July 1 to September 1, and the time limits for submission of the application of the insured for the choice of the investment portfolio (management company) from October 1 to December 31.

Specifies that the form of the application and its filling instruction shall be conveyed to the insured according to the procedure defined by the authorised federal body in coordination with the Pension Fund.

The Government of the Russian Federation may specify the procedure and time limits to pay out the amounts of accumulated pensions to the heirs of the diseased insured, as well as the procedure of making such payments and calculation of the amounts of accumulated pensions to be paid out.

Defines the actions of the Pension Fund if the insured submits more than one application for the choice of the investment portfolio (management company) or a non-state pension fund.

Federal Law No. 47-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Amendments to Article 73 of the Criminal Execution Code of the Russian Federation

The changes envisage opportunities of sending the persons convicted for the organised crime or crimes associated with terrorism to serve the term in appropriate corrective institutions in localities defined by the federal body of the criminal execution system. According to the previous wording of the Article, the persons convicted for the mentioned crimes served the term in corrective institutions within the boundaries of the subject of the Russian Federation where they lived or were sentenced.

Federal Law No. 46-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Invalidation of Part 4 of Article 115 of the Criminal Execution Code of the Russian Federation

Article 115 of the Criminal Execution Code defines the types of punishments applied to those sentenced to imprisonment. Part 4 of the mentioned Article envisage that heavier terms of imprisonment may be applied to repeated violators both in the same corrective colony or by changing the type of the corrective institution. The given norm is invalidated as not pertaining in its legal nature to the specified punishments.

Federal Law No. 45-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Amendments to the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation and Other Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation, As Well As on Invalidation of Some of the Provisions of the Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

The amendments specify the procedure of administrative suspension of activities of independent entrepreneurs, legal entities, their branches, representations, structural divisions, production sections, as well as operation of units, objects, buildings or structures, carrying out of individual types of activities (works), rendering of services. This punishment may be applied for the period from one day to ninety days in cases envisaged in the articles of the Special Part of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation for the violations jeopardising the life and health of people or creating other heavy hazards.

Execution of the administrative punishment in the form of an administrative suspension of activities may be lifted ahead of the term by the court at the request of the legal entity or independent entrepreneur, if the court finds out that further execution of the punishment is not necessary to achieve the goal of the punishment.

Since the violation committed by the legal entity or independent entrepreneur may bring about a situation requiring an immediate suspension of their activities, a temporary prohibition of their activities is envisaged as a measure in cases of administrative violations. The period of the temporary prohibition of activities may not be greater than five days.

Since the authority of the bodies of state power in the sphere of suspension of activities of economic subjects is envisaged in other acts of the federal legislation, appropriate adjustment of the norms of the Labour, Civil, Water, Forestry Codes is envisaged in pursuance of the mentioned amendments to the Code of Administrative Violations, as well as of the Federal Laws on the protection of the environment, on the protection of the atmospheric air, on the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population, on the quality and safety of foodstuffs, on the industrial safety of hazardous industrial objects, on the militia and a number of other.

The Federal Law is entered into force ninety days after the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 44-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Execution of the Budget of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation for the Year 2003

Endorses the report of execution of the budget of the Pension Fund for the year 2003 with incomes amounting to Rbl 843,140.8 million and expenses amounting to Rbl 804,076.4 million.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 43-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Amendment to Article 5 of the Federal Law on the Privatisation of the State and Municipal Property

Lifts the prohibition for the state and municipal unitary enterprises, state and municipal institutions, as well as the legal entities where the share of the Russian Federation, its subjects and municipal formations in the registered capital is greater than 25%, to purchase land plots qualified as the state or municipal property housing objects of immovable property owned by them not being unauthorised constructions.

Federal Law No. 42-FZ of May 9, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Status of the Member of the Council of the Federation and the Status of the Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Changes the norms specifying the procedure of maintaining relations of the deputies of the State Duma with the electorate. The deputies elected in the single-mandate election districts shall maintain their relations with the electorate of their districts. The deputies elected in the federal election districts shall maintain their relations with the electorate in the subject (subjects) of the Russian Federation defined by the deputy association or by them independently.

The greater part of the amendments is aimed at providing material and financial conditions for the implementation of their authority by the members of the Council of the Federation and the deputies of the State Duma. The volume of payments is determined on the basis of the list of expenses for material support specified on the annual basis respectively by the decisions of the Council of the Federation, State Duma within the limits of resources envisaged in the federal law on the federal budget.

A new wording is provided for the articles dedicated to the use of the means of communication and transport vehicles by the members of the Council of the Federation, deputies of the State Duma, as well as the use of dwelling space in Moscow. Specifies, in particular, that communal services shall be paid for by the members of the Council of the Federation and the deputies of the State Duma from their own resources.

The Federal Law is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Federal Law No. 41-FZ of May 8, 2005 on the Amendments to the Federal Law on the Veterans

The amendments bring the norms of the Federal Law on the veterans pertaining to calculation of the time limits of providing leaves in compliance with the Labour Code specifying the mentioned time limits in calendar days.

Besides, the period of unpaid leave that may be granted to invalids is increased from 30 to 60 days. The length of unpaid leave is increased from 14 working days to 35 calendar days during the year for servicemen having undergone military service for at least six months in the military units, institutions, military educational institutions other than those participating in military actions from June 22, 1941 to September 3, 1945, as well as for servicemen awarded with orders and medals of the USSR for the service in the mentioned period.

Decision of the Presidium of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 14452/04 of April 12, 2005

The Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation decides to make it necessary to apply a uniform for the natural persons and legal entities 6-months-long period of limitation for collection of amounts of arrears in taxes according to court proceedings. According to the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation, application for collection of arrears from the legal entity may be submitted to court by the tax bodies within 6 months after expiry of the period of execution of the requirement of collection of the tax as specified in Item 3 of Article 48 of the Tax Code for natural persons. The mentioned period is of preclusive nature, i.e. may not be resorted, and if expired, the court shall refuse to satisfy the claim of the tax body to the legal entity. The partial payment of the debt by the taxpayer shall not terminate this period.

Order of the Federal Antimonopoly Service No. 38 of March 10, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Adoption by the Antimonopoly Body of the Decisions to Arrange an Additional Check of the Notifications of Agreements or Coordinated Actions of Financial Organisations Restricting Competition at the Market of Financial Services

Defines the terms of adoption of decisions to arrange additional checks of available notifications and of all documents on agreements or coordinated actions of financial organisations restricting competition at the market of financial services.

The antimonopoly body may decide to arrange an additional check if in the course of examination of the documents on agreements or coordinated actions of financial organisations restricting competition at the market of financial services the facts are revealed permitting to affect directly or indirectly the decision recognising such agreements as valid or restricting competition at the market of financial services.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on May 3, 2005. Reg. No. 6568.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 531 of May 8, 2005 on the Military Uniform and Military and Agency Insignia

Endorses the Regulation on the military uniform of the servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other forces, military formations and bodies, as well as provides their insignia. Essential signs of the military uniform include design and colour of the uniform and munitions, decorative elements of specified colours - braids, trouser stripes, cap-bands, shoulder loops, collar patches, as well as ancillaries of specified types and shoulder straps.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 292 of May 7, 2005 on the Indexing in 2005 of the Amounts of Compensations and Other Payments to Citizens Having Been Exposed to Radiation Because of the Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

From January 1, 2005, amounts of individual compensations and other payments to citizens having been exposed to radiation because of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station will be indexed using the factor of 1.08 proceeding from the level of inflation specified in the Federal Law on the federal budget for the year 2005. Amounts of compensations and payment are provided.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 291 of May 6, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Licensing of Activities of Sale of Electric Power to Citizens

Defines the procedure of licensing of activities of legal entities to sale electric power to citizens, including the complex of measures to provide efficient, uninterrupted and reliable supplies of electric power to the mentioned categories of users.

The licensing is vested in the Federal Service of Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement. The license is issued for five years. The licensing body may suspend the license if repeated violations of the license requirements and terms by the license holder are revealed.

The Decision is entered into force from July 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 284 of May 4, 2005 on the State Registration of the Results of Scientific Research, Design and Technological Works of Civil Destination

Providing for the state registration of the results of scientific and technical activities shall be obligatory for the federal bodies of executive power, Russian academies of sciences possessing the state status, other organisations financing scientific and technical activities under the state contracts using the estimates of incomes and expenses and at the expense of resources allocated in the form of subventions, as well as for executing organisations engaged in scientific and technical activities and their co-executors. The state registration shall include the keeping of databases of clients and the uniform register of results of scientific and technical activities. The objects of the databases for the registration shall include particular results of scientific and technical activities including, in particular, description of individual particulars of the object of registration permitting to differentiate it from other objects of registration. The keeping of the register shall be vested in the Federal Agen cy for Science and Innovations.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-10/pz-n of April 15, 2005 on the Contest for the Choice of the Specialised Depositary to Conclude the Contract for the Services of the Specialised Depositary with the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation and the Contest for the Choice of the Management Companies to Conclude the Contract of Trust Control of Resources of Accumulated Pensions with the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation

Endorses the Regulation on the contest commission to arrange the contest for the choice of the specialised depositary and the contest for the choice of the management companies to conclude the mentioned contracts with the Pension Fund. Also provides the forms of the notification of the arranged contest and applications for participation in the contest.

The Order is entered into force from the day of its official publication.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on May 3, 2005. Reg. No. 6567.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 24 of March 30, 2005 on the Amendments to the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 110 of October 2, 2000

Amends the procedure of application of the air navigation and airport fees, tariff rates for the servicing of air vessels of operators of the Russian Federation in the airports and air space of the Russian Federation. Specifies that the fee for the air navigation servicing in the vicinity of the airfield and the fee for take-off and landing are collected in the amount of 25% of the actual level only in cases of airfield training of the pilots of operators of the Russian Federation. Earlier, the mentioned fee was collected also for the landing of air vessels on an alternate airfield because of the weather conditions.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 29, 2005. Reg. No. 6563.

Order of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation No. 70 of April 5, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the Accreditation of Organisations of Technical Registration and Technical Inventory Taking of Objects of Capital Construction by the Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property

The endorsed Regulation shall define the procedure of accreditation of organisations of technical registration and technical inventory taking of objects of capital construction.

The accreditation shall be arranged to confirm availability of the necessary material and technical support with the mentioned organisations, as well as to provide guarantees of their responsibility to the interested parties and determine opportunities of arranging technical registration and technical inventory taking of objects of capital contraction.

The Order lists the requirements to organisations to obtain the accreditation, provides the list of the documents to be submitted to the Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property. The time limit for examination of the issue of accreditation may not be greater than 20 working days from the day of receiving of all necessary documents.

Organisations earlier accredited with the Federal Agency of Cadastre of Objects of Immovable Property for activities in technical inventory taking of objects of city-planning activities shall provide for the technical inventory taking of objects of capital contraction on the basis of the earlier issued certificates of accreditation while observing the requirements of the Regulation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 28, 2005. Reg. No. 6562.

Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation No. 62 of March 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Processing of Requests for the Right of Use of Subsoil Resources for the Purpose of Geological Surveys of the Parts of Subsoil Resources of Internal Sea Waters, Territorial Sea and the Continental Shelf of the Russian Federation

The endorsed procedure shall regulate the processing of requests for the right of use of subsoil resources for the purpose of geological surveys of the parts of subsoil resources of internal sea waters, territorial sea and the continental shelf of the Russian Federation.

The right of use of the parts of subsoil resources emerges on the basis of the decision of the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources as a result of examination of the request.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6560.

Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation No. 61 of March 15, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Procedure of Processing of Requests for the Right of Use of Subsoil Resources for the Purpose of Geological Surveys of the Parts of Subsoil Resources

The endorsed procedure shall regulate the processing of requests for the right of use of subsoil resources for the purpose of geological surveys of the parts of subsoil resources except for the parts of subsoil resources of internal sea waters, territorial sea and the continental shelf of the Russian Federation.

The right of use of subsoil resources for the purpose of geological surveys emerges on the basis of the decision of the commission created by the Federal Agency for the Use of Subsoil Resources including also representatives of the body of executive power of the appropriate subject of the Russian Federation for the purpose of processing of requests for the right of use of the parts of subsoil resources.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on April 26, 2005. Reg. No. 6559.

Letter of the Federal Tax Service No. ShT-6-10/371@ of May 3, 2005 on the Blank Forms of Payment Documents

Territorial banks and divisions of the Savings Bank of Russia in the city of Moscow shall accept payment documents of the old type form N PD (tax) together with the new ones until July 1, 2005.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 293 of May 12, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Regulation on the State Control over Geological Surveys, Rational Use and Protection of Subsoil Resources

Specifies the procedure of state control over geological surveys, rational use and protection of subsoil resources and defines the bodies in charge of the state geological control, their authority, rights, duties and procedure of work.

The state geological control shall be vested in the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Use of Natural Resources being the body of state geological control, Federal Service of Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Enforcement begin the body of state mining enforcement and their territorial bodies in interaction with other control bodies, as well as the bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 31 of April 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Federal Aviation Rules "Objects of the Uniform Air Traffic System"

The rules shall specify the list of objects of the uniform air traffic system. The rules shall apply to objects available in the federal property and handed over for economic management to organisations of civil aviation providing for the activities of the operative bodies of the uniform air traffic system of the Russian Federation.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on May 6, 2005. Reg. No. 6585.

Order of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 246 of March 31, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Forms of Nomination of the Citizen of the Russian Federation for the Breast Badge of "Honourable Donor of Russia" and the List of the Documents Confirming the Facts of Donation of Blood or Blood Plasma

Endorses the following forms of documents: Form 446-05/u "List of the Names of Donors Nominated for the Breast Badge of "Honourable Donor of Russia"", Form 447-05/u "Logbook of Donors Awarded with the Breast Badge of "Honourable Donor of Russia" for the Year ___ ", Form 448-05/u "Certificate of the Amount of Donated Blood or Blood Plasma", Form 405-05/u "Donor Registration Card (Active, Reserve, Relative)", Form 76/u "Information of the Number of Citizens Awarded with the Breast Badge of "Honourable Donor of Russia" or "Honourable Donor of the USSR" Reregistered on the Territory of the Subject of the Russian Federation".

Provides explanations pertaining to the nomination of the citizens of the Russian Federation for the breast badge of "Honourable Donor of Russia", as well as the specimen and description of the certificate to the breast badge of "Honourable Donor of Russia".

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on May 3, 2005. Reg. No. 6566.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 480 of April 30, 2005 on the Interagency Commission for the Prisoners of War, Interned and Missing in Action

Forms the Interagency Commission for the Prisoners of War, Interned and Missing in Action instead of the Commission of the President of the Russian Federation for the Prisoners of War, Interned and Missing in Action.

Organisational and technical support for the activities of the Interagency Commission for the Prisoners of War, Interned and Missing in Action is vested in the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

The Decree is entered into force from the day of its signing.