Monitoring of the Federal Legislation dated 22.12.2005

Federal Law No. 168-FZ of December 20, 2005 on the Amendments to Individual Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Pursuant to the Creation of the Russian International Register of Vessels

The amendments are aimed at improving competitive potential of the vessels of the Russian marine fleet and creation of the Russian International Register of Vessels. The goal of the Register is creation of economic, legal, organisational and other necessary conditions providing for the functioning of the Russian and foreign vessels registered in it. The Register shall contain records of the vessels used for international shipment of cargo, passengers and their luggage, as well as for rendering other services pertaining to the mentioned shipments. Registration in the Register envisages creation of beneficial tax and customs regimes, other conditions for a successful operation of vessels when they render transportation services at the world market.

The Law also envisages appropriate changes to the Merchant Marine Code, Tax Code and the Law of the Russian Federation No. 5003-I of May 21, 1993 on the customs tariff.

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

Federal Law No. 167-FZ of December 20, 2005 on the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Armenia on the Promotion and Mutual Protection of Capital Investments

Ratifies the Agreement singed in Yerevan on September 15, 2001. The agreement is aimed at creation of favourable conditions for investment activities of one of the contracting parties on the territory of the other contracting party. The Agreement provides for protection of capital investments against forced withdrawal equal to expropriation or nationalisation, as well as defines the terms of reimbursement of the cost of expropriated capital investments. Investors shall enjoy guarantees of free transfer abroad of payments pertaining to capital investments that include incomes, compensations, resources obtained from liquidation or sale of capital investments, resources paid out in redemption of loans and credits, as well as the earnings and other remuneration.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 773 of December 17, 2005 on the Interim Rates of Import Customs Duties for Grain and Silage Harvesting Combines

The rates of the import customs duties for grain and silage harvesting combines (codes according to the Foreign Trade Commodity Nomenclature 8433 51 000 9 and 8433 59 110 9) are introduced for 9 months in the amount of 5% of the customs cost, however, not less than EUR 100 per kW of engine power rating. Earlier, the rate amounted to 5% of the customs cost.

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

Order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 2225-r of December 14, 2005

Approves the concept of development of the customs bodies of the Russian Federation, defining the main goals, tasks and directions of development of the customs service of Russia for the medium-term and long-term perspective.

The main goal of development of the customs bodies of the Russian Federation at present is working out of the most efficient methods in the customs sphere in compliance with international principles. The main tasks in the framework of this goal are: improvement of quality of customs regulation promoting investments in the Russian economy, incomes in the federal budget, protection of domestic producers, protection of intellectual property and promoting foreign-trade activities to the maximum extent; improving customs administration, including the risk control system on the basis of customs procedures in compliance with international standards; enhancing interaction with Russian, foreign and international bodies and organisations combating terrorism, smuggling of arms, drugs and counterfeit products, as well as ensuring economic, ecological and radiation safety.

To provide for a full and quick implementation of the mentioned tasks, the concept defines a system of measures to develop the Russian customs service, including the outfit of the state border of the Russian Federation; creation of up-to-date warehouses and terminals; introduction of new information and technical means for the customs bodies; improving the technology of maintenance of the customs statistics in compliance with international standards; enhancing customs control after release of commodities in circulation on the customs territory of the Russian Federation and so on.

The concept is expected to be implemented in two stages. At the first stage (2005-2007), measures are envisaged to bring the Russian legislation in compliance with the commonly accepted norms in the customs sphere. Opportunities of entry of the Russian Federation in the international convention on the simplification and harmonisation of the customs procedures is examined. Beginning with 2006, it is planned to use on the customs territory of the Russian Federation customs documents used by the member-states of the European Union in compliance with the convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods. The second stage (2007-2010) envisages termination of construction and outfit of the objects of the customs infrastructure.

Order of the Federal Service for Tariff Rates No. 614-t/2 of December 13, 2005 on the Fixing of Payments and Fees for the Services and Works Pertaining to Transportation of Passengers, Personal Belongings, Luggage, Cargo, Storage of Personal Belongings, Luggage and Cargo

A set of linen in the cars with 4-bed compartments is charged at Rbl 38.14, in sleeping cars - Rbl 76.27, in brand-name trains - Rbl 56.78 and Rbl 94.92, respectively.

The storage of personal belongings in a self-service storage room is charged at Rbl 38.14 a day. The storage of sizable cargo - Rbl 56.78 for the first calendar day and Rbl 71.19 for each subsequent day. Transportation of luggage in direct connection in Moscow, St.Petersburg, Armavir and other cities from one station to another by road transport is charged at Rbl 47.46 a piece.

Redrawing of transportation documents (tickets) is charged at Rbl 42.37.

Operation of return of money for unused travel document (ticket) or undispatched luggage is charged at Rbl 52.54.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 20, 2005. Reg. No. 7291.

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation No. 985 of December 1, 2005 on the Endorsement of the Instruction on the Procedure of Acceptance, Registration and Processing in the Bodies of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation of Applications, Reports and Other Information on Accidents

Specifies the procedure defining the order of actions of officials of the bodies of internal affairs accepting reports of accidents, assigning an ordinal number to the report and entering brief information on it in the records, as well as the procedure of verifying the facts described in the registered reports of accidents.

Reports of accidents may be of the following types: application of a crime, acknowledgement of guilt, report of revealed crime, reports and written applications of events jeopardising personal and public security, other information on accidents.

If the report of the accident is received in the body of internal affairs during the personal visit of the applicant, the officer on duty shall hand out a notification to the applicant simultaneously with the registration of the report. Reports of accidents, except for the ones containing signs of a crime or administrative violation, shall be processed within 30 days.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 16, 2005. Reg. No. 7276.

Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets No. 05-57/pz-n of November 1, 2005 on the Amendments to the Regulation on the Disclosing of Information by Issuers of Emission Securities Endorsed by the Order of the Federal Service for Financial Markets of Russia No. 05-5/pz-n of March 16, 2005

The Regulation is extended to include section "Disclosing of Information by Issuers of the Mortgage-Coverage Bonds" specifying the requirements to the information disclosed by the mentioned issuers. The issuers of the mortgage-coverage bonds must disclose information that may affect significantly the cost of the mortgage-coverage bonds, as well as the register of the mortgage coverage of the bonds and the certificates of the amount of the mortgage coverage of the bonds.

The time limits of disclosing of information are: no later than 1 day in the newsreel, no later than 3 days in the Internet, no later than 5 days when sending to the body in charge of the registration. The issuers of the mortgage-coverage bonds that do not have to disclose information in the form of a quarterly report and reports of significant facts may disclose the mentioned information by publishing it in a printed periodical instead of the newsreel and Internet, or by sending it to each holder of such bonds.

Disclosing of information of the register of the mortgage coverage and the certificate of the amount of the mortgage coverage may be arranged by providing access to such information to any interested parties at their request, including opportunities of obtaining such information, copy of the register and certificate at the cost of making the copy, as well as by disclosing it on the monthly basis in the Internet.

Registered in the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on December 16, 2005. Reg. No. 7272.

Decision of the Federal Service of State Statistics No. 84 of November 18, 2005 on the Endorsement of Statistical Tools to Arrange a Statistical Monitoring by the Federal Service of Enforcement in the Sphere of Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being of the Rates of Morbidity of Population Associated with Infectious and Parasitogenic Diseases, Occupational Diseases, Preventive Immunisation, Sanitary Condition of Territories, Personnel Radiation Exposure

Introduces new forms of the federal state statistical monitoring: monthly beginning with the report for the January of 2006 No. 1 "Information of Infectious and Parasitogenic Diseases"; monthly beginning with the report for the January of 2006, annual beginning with the report for the year 2005 No. 2 "Information of Infectious and Parasitogenic Diseases"; quarterly beginning with the report for the I quarter of 2006, annual beginning with the report for the year 2005 No. 5 "Information of Preventive Immunisation"; annual beginning with the report for the year 2005 No. 6 "Information on Children, Teenagers and Grown-ups Inoculated against Infectious Diseases", No. 18 "Information on the Sanitary Condition of the Republic, Territory, Province, City of Federal Significance, Autonomous Province, Autonomous District", No. 24 "Information on the Persons with Occupational Diseases (Intoxication) Identified for the First Time", No. 1-DOZ "Information on Personnel Radiation Exposure under Normal Operation of Sources o f Ionising Radiation" and No. 2-DOZ "Information on Personnel Radiation Exposure in Cases of Radiation Accidents or Planned Radiation Increase, As Well As Exposed Population".

Direction of the Central Bank of Russia No. 1631-U of November 11, 2005 on the Adjustment of Individual Acts of the Bank of Russia

Pursuant to adoption of the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 126-I of November 11, 2005 on the procedure of regulation of relations pertaining to measures of prevention of insolvency (bankruptcy) of credit organisations, invalidates the Instruction of the Bank of Russia No. 84-I of July 12, 1999 on the procedure of implementation of measures of prevention of insolvency (bankruptcy) of credit organisations with amendments.

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

Order of the Central Bank of Russia No. OD-700 of December 14, 2005 on the Application of the Procedure of Granting Credits to Credit Organisations by the Bank of Russia Secured with Pledging of Promissory Notes, Claims Rights under Credit Contracts of Organisations or Guarantees of Credit Organisations

Directorate of the Bank of Russia in the Omsk Province may carry out operations of refinancing of credit organisations in compliance with the Regulation of the Bank of Russia No. 273-P of July 14, 2005

Decision of the Plenum of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation No. 37 of December 8, 2005

The Higher Arbitration Court has an official distinguishing symbol indicating association with the system of arbitration courts of the Russian Federation - heraldry sign - emblem of the Higher Arbitration Court. The description and procedure of use of the emblem is specified in the Regulation endorsed by the Order of the Chairman of the Higher Arbitration Court. The emblem of the Higher Arbitration Court may serve as a basis for creation of other symbols of arbitration courts of the Russian Federation.