A list of types of products (goods) has been established, the production and use of which are not permitted due to the fact that waste from their use cannot be processed and (or) utilized, or their processing and (or) utilisation is difficult.

From March 1, 2025, citizens will be able to establish a self-prohibition on the issuance of consumer loans. From this date, the corresponding amendments to the Law on Credit Histories and the Law on Consumer Credit (Loan), adopted in February of this year, will come into force.

The Rules for the formation, maintenance and storage of a citizen's personal file and an employer's registration file on the Unified Digital Platform in the Sphere of Employment and Labour Relations "Work in Russia" have been proposed. 

By April 30, 2025, the largest Russian exporters are obliged to:

In particular, the provisions of the Law on the Protection of Competition concerning the recognition of the price of a product as monopolistically high or monopolistically low have been clarified.. In particular, the need for comparison with prices in markets outside the Russian Federation when determining monopolistically high or monopolistically low prices is eliminated.

Securities and shares in the authorised (share) capital of a number of Russian legal entities have been transferred to the temporary management of the Federal Property Management Agency. In particular, the following have come under state control: JSC and LLC "Glavprodukt", LLC "BALTIC CANNERY", LLC "Glavprodukt-patent", LLC "United Industrial Company", LLC "United Cannery Plants".

Actions related to driving a vehicle with state registration plates equipped with devices that prevent identification of state registration plates or allow them to be modified or hidden are currently determined as a separate offence, for the commission of which the penalty will be deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of one year to one and a half years with confiscation of the said devices (the devices are subject to destruction).

With respect to products included into List D of Section 1.1 of the List of goods for which an authorisation-based procedure for importing onto the EAEU customs territory has been established, regardless of whether such products contain mono-substances from List F or mixtures thereof, the authorisation-based procedure shall apply for importing onto the territory of Russia, established for ozone-depleting substances and products containing them

A format has been developed for flow statements with respect to funds and other financial assets of a non-resident included into the same international group of companies as a resident, on an account (deposit) opened in a bank or another financial market institution located abroad, and on transfers without opening an account using electronic means of payment provided by foreign payment service providers.

The Ministry of Finance has provided clarification regarding tax benefits for small technology companies. Thus, from January 1, 2025, it will be possible to apply coefficient 2 to research and development expenses regardless of whether the relevant work is included in the established list.

Companies making calls to mobile network subscribers, especially mass calls, will be required to inform their operator who they are and why they are calling. This data will be automatically transferred from operator to operator, and the source of the call will be identified on the subscriber's phone. In this case, the subscriber will have the right to refuse mass calls or select only those companies from which he/she is ready to receive calls. If the company does not provide the required information, the call will be blocked.

Decision of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1335 of October 4, 2024 on the Staggering of Days Off in 2025

A law on compensation for time off for work on weekends and holidays upon dismissal of an employee has been signed. From March 1, 2025, new provisions will appear in the Labour Code of the Russian Federation, providing for the following: 

Until December 31, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Central Bank is authorised to determine the type, category (kind) of securities, when recording the rights to which the nominal holder must take the following actions in S-type securities accounts:

The procedure for removing from the register financial organisations obliged to organise interaction with the financial ombudsman for the rights of consumers of financial services has been adjusted. 

It is planned to classify all accommodation facilities that provide temporary accommodation services to tourists, and not just hotels. Exceptions include children's camps, rural tourism on farms, and accommodation facilities for religious organisations. 

Regional branches of the Social Fund of Russia report that the transition to the Unified Social Digital Platform is in process. Due to this, policyholders will be assigned new registration numbers, which must be indicated in the reports filed with the SFR starting from November 1, 2024. Reports are be supposed to be accepted with both old and new SFR registration numbers until October 31, 2024. 

The recycling fee will increase significantly from October 1, 2024 for wheeled vehicles and trailers and from 2025 - for special equipment. 

In order to apply open positions of credit institutions for currency risk, the Bank of Russia has established credit rating levels for credit institutions’ counterparties to forward transactions.

Russian citizens and non-resident individuals from friendly countries will still be able to transfer monthly no more than 1 million US dollars or equivalent amounts in another foreign currency to any accounts opened with foreign banks. 

From October 1, 2024, transfers funds abroad by non-residents from unfriendly countries from Russian brokers’ and trustees’ accounts are suspended for another six months.

One more reason has been introduced for an unscheduled inspection within the framework of state advertising control. This concerns TV advertising containing an indication of the advantages of the advertised product over goods made by other manufacturers or sellers, by an advertiser that has already distributed false advertising within the previous 2 years.

On October 1, 2024, the June amendments to the Law on Information, Information Technology and Information Protection come into force, aimed at optimising the procedure for restricting access to copies of "pirated" websites that have already been blocked due to repeated and illegal posting of information containing items of copyright and (or) related rights, or information necessary to obtain them using information and telecommunications networks, including the Internet. 

On September 13, 2024, the Bank of Russia decided to raise the key rate by 100 bps to 19% per annum. 

From September 16, 2024, new interest rates have been set for currency swap transactions for the sale of yuan for roubles with the subsequent purchase. For yuan - at the rate of O/N SHIBOR, increased by 12 percentage points. For roubles - in the amount of the key rate of the Bank of Russia, reduced by one percentage point.

If residents are part of the same international group of companies with non-residents, they must submit notifications to the tax authorities about opening (closing) accounts (deposits) and about changing the details of accounts (deposits) of non-residents abroad. 

It is planned to introduce accelerated state registration of drugs, the production of international nonproprietary  names of which is not localised in Russia.

It is planned to adjust the procedure for connecting to the information system containing the list of prohibited sites, interaction with the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) when providing access to the system, processing and using information. 

Until the end of 2025, the Federal Service for Intellectual Property will not publish information about individuals in the official bulletin at the request of them. It is about: 

The Bank of Russia maintains restrictions on cash currency due to current sanctions. For citizens whose foreign currency account or deposit was opened before March 9, 2022, a limit on currency withdrawal in the amount of the balance of funds remains, but not more than 10 thousand US dollars or the equivalent in euros, if such an opportunity has not been implemented earlier. Remaining funds can still be withdrawn in roubles. 

 The website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation has published the basic principles and stages of implementation of Open Program Interfaces (Open APIs). They will allow companies to exchange information on a client more quickly with their consent, provide them with beneficial personalised services, and also give a person the opportunity to manage their data at a high-quality level. 

It is planned to establish access to what information about the Internet advertising identifier held by Roskomnadzor is provided to the advertiser, advertising distributor, operators of advertising systems and advertising data, and the operator of social advertising. 

In connection with the expansion of domestic brands, a number of brands in the light industry have been excluded from the list of goods permitted for parallel import. Amendments will come into effect in six months. 

The pattern of special S-type custody account has been defined. Money transferred from a special custody account opened with the same depository or erroneously debited from a special S-type custody account, as well as refundable amounts of taxes previously paid from this account, can be credited to it.

Participants of limited liability companies (LLCs) (except for credit and non-credit financial, specialised LLCs) are now required to contact a notary when electing a new head (general director) to certify the fact of such a decision. The notary will sign the application for making changes to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities (previously, this was done by the new director) and independently send it electronically to the registration authority. 

From September 1, 2024, qualified certificates of employees of legal entities and individual businessmen obtained from commercial certification centers have ceased to be valid. 

From September 1, 2024, offences related to failure to comply with the procedure for paying tolls for travel on toll roads of regional, intermunicipal and local significance, private roads are removed from the scope of Article 12.21.4 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation. The mentioned Article is now applied in as much as it concerns violations of the payment procedure committed in connection with travel on federally significant toll roads. 

Student IDs and record books are available through Gosuslugi web-portal. They can be downloaded in the "Education" section and presented by showing a QR code on a smartphone screen. 

The Certification Authority of the Bank of Russia issues qualified certificates of digital signatures, including to all subjects of the national payment system, persons who provide services in the financial market, self-regulatory organisations in the financial market and self-regulatory organisations in the provision of services in the financial market. In this regard, the procedure for creating and issuing certificates to financial market participants has been updated. The application and documents can be submitted on paper or electronic media, or in the form of an electronic document. The certificate will be issued on paper or electronic media, or in the form of an electronic document.

Amendments to the Law on state registration of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs come into force on September 1, 2024.

The revealing by Roskomnadzor within a calendar year of two or more facts of failure to comply with the rules for application of advisable technologies posted on an information resource, or information related to the application of such recommendation technologies received at the request of Roskomnadzor, will be considered as risk index in the following cases: 

From January 1, 2025, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs who have entered into an agreement for the provision of mobile radiotelephone communication services will be able to provide the opportunity to use communication services within the framework of this agreement (issue corporate SIM cards) only to individuals who work for them under an employment contract or a paid civil law contract. There is currently no such restriction.

Startup companies with a minimum revenue indicator, included in the register of small technology companies, created less than three years ago, can now receive state accreditation, without taking into account the criterion for the share of revenue from IT activities of more than 30% of total revenue.

Powers of the Governmental Commission for Control over Foreign Investments in the Russian Federation to be expanded. The Commission, among other things, will issue statements on the existence of circumstances under which exercising corporate rights with respect to an economically significant organisation by a foreign legal entity that is not a foreign holding company is suspended. The procedure for issuing such statements will be established.

The Law on Personal Data has been supplemented with new provisions providing for the provision of anonymised personal data to the state information system of the ministry by personal data operators at the request of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, which will be determined by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Bankruptcy procedures for banks, insurance companies and non-governmental pension funds, for which the Deposit Insurance Agency is the bankruptcy commissioner, have been adjusted. We are talking about the fulfilment of the obligations of a financial company at the expense of funds provided by their founders (participants) or a third party in bankruptcy proceedings. Such features are introduced for insurers and non-governmental pension funds, and these features are changed for banks.

Concepts of mining and mining pool, as well as requirements for them will be legally enshrined. Requirements for operators of the mining infrastructure are established, as well as procedure for circulation of digital currency in Russia. 

From September 1, 2024, amendments come into effect according to which if an LLC decides to elect a new head (CEO), this must be certified by a notary. The notary will sign and send in electronic form an application for making changes into the Unified State Register of Legal Entities to a registration authority. 

It is planned to determine the only way for participants in the experimental legal regime in the area of digital innovations in the financial market to interact with the Bank of Russia - through a personal account, the link to which is posted on the regulator’s website.

Participants in the program for the voluntary resettlement of compatriots to Russia can obtain a residence permit without a temporary residence permit. An application for its issuance can be submitted to the diplomatic mission or consulate of Russia in the country in which the application for participation in the program was submitted. The territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the region selected for resettlement will issue a residence permit after fingerprinting, photographing and submission of medical documents. A residence permit will be cancelled upon loss of the program participant status.

The Bank of Russia's Board of Directors has decided to raise the key rate by 200 bps to 18.00% per annum. This is the first rate increase this year.

The Federal Tax Service explains that an international company created through incorporation is a currency resident. Such a company is subject to all requirements of the Law on Currency Regulation and Currency Control, including the need to notify tax authorities about its foreign accounts (deposits), provide reports on them, and also about the execution of currency transactions.

A list of Russian programs that are mandatory for pre-installation in 2025 on smartphones, tablets, PCs, all-in-ones and Smart TVs has been approved. 

Concepts of mining and mining pool, as well as requirements for them will be legally enshrined. 

Russian medicines and drugs, the manufacture of which is localized in Russia, will receive priority when included in the list of vital and essential drugs and the list of expensive drugs. A new approach has been established for the comprehensive assessment of drugs for inclusion in the specified lists. If the Health Ministry commission rejects the manufacturer's application, it will be able to submit a revised study containing more complete information about the characteristics of the drug.

The Council of the European Union adopted the 14th toolbox of sanctions affecting the intellectual property of Russian applicants and copyright holders. The European Union Intellectual Property Offices are prohibited from accepting applications for registration of intellectual property from Russian citizens, individuals and legal entities registered and residing in Russia. The ban also applies to applications submitted by foreigners together with Russians. 

Until April 30, 2025, the largest Russian exporters must credit at least 40% of foreign currency obtained under foreign trade contracts to their special accounts opened with the authorised banks (previously, the threshold was 60%). 

Three new guides have been approved for tax monitoring: 

- the Business Process Stages Guide, 

- the Guide for Types of Transport and Transportation of Goods, 

- the Guide for Types of Mineral Resources. 

The guides are developed in order to ensure digitalisation & standardisation of information provided by organisations concerning stages of business processes, production, as well as logistics chains. 

The Business Process Stages Guide classifies the stages of business processes in production activities to transmit information on production and logistics chains, chains for providing services or performing work within a group of companies. The Guide for Types of Transport and Transportation of Goods is intended to transmit data on types of transport and transportation of goods used in the movement of minerals, processed products, and finished products. While the Guide for Types of Minerals describes the types of minerals used in production activities.

The Ministry of Health cancels the 2016 order approving the Rules of Good Clinical Practice from September 1, 2024. This is due to the fact that since 2024, clinical trials of medicinal products for human use are carried out in accordance with the rules of good clinical practice approved by the Eurasian Economic Commission.

For the period from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2031, new rules for collecting environmental fees are planned to be introduced. They will concern manufacturers and importers (as they do now), as well as recyclers. 

Economically significant organisations (ESO) must inform the Ministry of Economic Development about the fact of presence or absence of foreign persons that directly or indirectly own shares (stakes) in these organisations. If such organisations or their subsidiaries are credit or non-credit financial institutions, the information must be sent to the Bank of Russia. 

The RF Ministry of Finance has introduced the IFRS document "International Tax Reform - Pillar Two ‘Model Rules’ (Amendments to IAS 12)". 

Order of the RF Ministry of Finance No. 77n of June 4, 2024 endorsing the IFRS “Lack of Currency Exchange Options (Amendments to IFRS (IAS) 21)” has been put into effect in Russia. 

The document allows organisations to assess whether currency exchange is possible and to determine the current exchange rate by the way of calculation for the cases when exchange is not possible.

The Bank of Russia has issued clarifications on application of a presidential decree on the temporary procedure for fulfilling obligations to certain foreign creditors when a clearing organisation returns to clearing participants (their clients) money transferred as clearing collateral. 

The rules for accreditation of organisations that classify beaches, hotels and ski slopes have been adjusted. 

The ban on supplies of Russian oil and petroleum products to foreign parties, if the contract for these supplies involves the use of a mechanism for fixing the maximum price, has been extended until the end of 2024.

The Bank of Russia has compiled a new list of issuers whose securities issues are registered by the Corporate Relations Department. It also monitors compliance with legislation on joint stock companies and securities. The list includes 632 organisations. 

The Federal Tax Service reports that state registration of changes in the composition of participants in limited liability companies for notarial transactions now takes no more than a day.

It is planned to adjust the procedure for disclosing information in the accounting statements of operators of investment and financial platforms, operators of information systems in which digital financial assets are issued, and operators of the exchange of such assets. 

On June 18, 2024, the State Duma immediately passed the law on rural tourism in the second and third readings. 

The Governmental Commission for Control of Foreign Investments approved the form of application for issuance of permits to Russian exporters that are obliged to sell foreign currency, as well as to their subsidiaries. This concerns directing funds under foreign trade contracts to satisfy demands. Information is provided on the agreement under which there are obligations of the resident to the non-resident, and also the amount of funds in foreign currency and roubles held by the applicant in accounts in Russian and foreign banks.

The Government has adjusted the rules for registering with Rosfinmonitoring organisations that carry out transactions with money or other property, and individual businessmen acting in a sector for which controlling (supervisory) bodies are not provided. 

The procedure is adjusted in terms of sending by employers and customers of work (services) the following notifications:

Measures to ensure the state’s information security to be expanded. Starting from January 1, 2025, governmental agencies, state-owned companies, strategic enterprises and also core institutions will be prohibited both from using information security products (tools, facilities etc.) from unfriendly nations, as well as from using their servers (services, works etc.) to ensure information security. 

To obtain SEZ resident status, instead of a business plan, you need an investment project passport. In this regard, the approximate forms of agreements have been adjusted with respect to industrial & production, technology & innovation, tourism & recreational activities, as well as activities in special economic zones located in ports. A number of other provisions of the agreements have also been clarified.

In connection with the termination (suspension) of organised trading in foreign currency on the Moscow Exchange MICEX - RTS, the Bank of Russia has established a new procedure for the sale of foreign currency received from buyers of Russian gas from unfriendly countries. 

From June 14, 2024, the Bank of Russia temporarily does not hold trading sessions until 9:50 Moscow time on the foreign exchange market and precious metals market, as well as on the derivatives market of Moscow Exchange public joint stock company.

Due to the introduction of restrictive measures by the United States regarding the Moscow Exchange, exchange trading and settlements of deliverable instruments in dollars and euros are suspended. Trading on all other exchange segments and on exchange instruments in roubles and other currencies is carried out as usual. Transactions with dollars and euros will continue to be carried out on the over-the-counter market. 

A number of amendments have been made to the Law on Bankruptcy aimed at improving the procedure for consideration of this category of cases by arbitration courts.

The Russian-Chinese intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the area of creating an International Scientific Lunar Station has been ratified. 

On June 7, 2024, the Bank of Russia decided to keep the key rate at 16% per annum.

New forms of notifications for opening and closing accounts abroad will apply from July 1, 2024. Resident companies must notify the tax authorities about the opening (closing) and changes in the details of accounts abroad of non-resident organisations with which they are part of the same international group of companies. Resident organisations do not notify about the opening of such accounts if these requirements are fulfilled by the parent company of an international group of companies or a member of such a group that is entrusted with the corresponding responsibility.

The list of economically significant organisations now includes additionally the Nevsky Shipyard, Trading Company Megapolis, joint stock company and Highland Gold international joint stock company.

The Russian Ministry of Finance has updated information on international agreements of the Russian Federation on the avoidance of double taxation. Compared to previous lists, 2 new indices have been added thereto: “Suspension/denunciation of the treaty” and “Position of the treaty partner on the issue of suspension/response notes”. 

 The following will be updated: 

The rules for issuing permits of the Government Commission for Control over Foreign Investment have been adjusted. Amendments relate to permits not to sell currency. 

The agreement was signed by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It will ensure the sustainable development of the CIS free trade zone in services and goods. 

In particular, in accordance with the obligations assumed by Uzbekistan, Russian service providers are guaranteed access to such sectors as business, communications, construction and related engineering services, educational, environmental, financial, health, cultural, sports, transport services, as well as services related to tourism and travelling. 

Tajikistan has additionally accepted obligations to provide services by payment system operators, as well as to conduct notarial activities. 

In addition, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan accept obligations regarding market access and national treatment with respect to the establishment of companies, branches and representative offices in sectors of the economy not related to services (industry, agriculture). In these sectors, the states provide Russian investors with market access conditions no worse than those provided for by their current legislation as of the date of signing the agreement.

The State Duma adopted a law on ratification of the Russian-Chinese intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the area of creating an International Scientific Lunar Station. 

Residents are required to notify tax authorities about the opening (closing) of accounts (deposits) with foreign banks and financial companies and about changes in their details. New forms and formats have been approved for such notifications. 

From September 1, 2024 to September 1, 2030, a new composition of the car first aid kit to be applicable. It will include, among other items, the following: a mouthpiece, CPR covering, disposable and reusable elastic non-latex bandages, a rescue blanket, dressing scissors and surgical scissors. 

The President instructed the RF Government to establish a special procedure for compensation for damage caused to the Russian Federation or the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in the event of unjustified deprivation of Russian property rightholders by decision of the US authorities. 

For three years after completion of the procedure for the sale of property in relation to a citizen or the termination of bankruptcy proceedings within such procedure, the person cannot hold positions in the management bodies of the organisation or otherwise participate in the management of the company. If these requirements are violated, refusal of state registration is allowed. 

It is decided to create a Financial Monitoring and Currency Control Service hosted by the Department and regional divisions of financial monitoring and currency control of the Bank of Russia. The new service likely consists of seven centers. Their tasks will include control and supervision over compliance by non-credit financial institutions with the requirements of anti-money laundering and currency legislation on a cross-territorial basis.

Residents must report on flow of funds and other financial assets through foreign bank accounts and transfers without opening an account using electronic means of payment from foreign payment service providers. The report form has been updated. Rules have been established for filing reports by residents belonging to the same international group of companies as non-residents.

From June 1, 2024, the corresponding provision of the Law on Non-Profit Organisations will come into force in a new version, according to which this issue is resolved by the organisation on a voluntary basis. At the same time, it is stipulated that if there is a seal, information about this should be contained in the charter of the non-profit organisation.

The President established a temporary procedure for residents to acquire exclusive rights to the results of intellectual activity or means of individualization from persons of unfriendly countries. 

According to amendments to the Law on the Bank of Russia, the regulator must control the transition of credit institutions to domestic software. In this regard, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation has established a monitoring procedure for: 

The Federal Tax Service reminds that June 3, 2024 is deadline for resident individuals to file reports for 2023 with tax authorities on the flow of funds and other financial assets in foreign accounts, as well as foreign electronic wallets. 

Forms for submitting accounting (financial) statements to the Bank of Russia have been adjusted for certain non-credit financial organisations, credit rating agencies and credit history bureaus. 

Permits to sell real estate to foreign companies from unfriendly states does not apply with respect to aircraft, ships, and inland navigation vessels.

Migration registration of foreigners includes registration at the place of residence and registration at the place of stay. 

The Ministry of Economic Development has prepared amendments on issues of state registration, as well as conducting a preliminary information search for an invention or utility model. 

It is planned to adjust the rules for accreditation of organisations responsible for classifying beaches, hotels and ski slopes. 

Accreditation certificates will be generated electronically. The requirements will be adjusted for specialists to obtain accreditation in the field of classification of 4 and 5 star hotels. Applications for accreditation will need to be submitted through the public services web-portal or FSIS in the field of accreditation.

On May 2, 2024, the Agreement on the mutual recognition of documents on academic degrees in the EAEU countries came into force. 

The rules for using ‘S’ type accounts for settlements and transactions have been adjusted. 

The Russian Ministry of Finance has approved a Special List of states and territories that provide preferential tax treatment and (or) do not provide for the disclosure and provision of information when conducting financial transactions (offshore zones). The special list of offshore zones includes 40 countries. 

The activities of hosting providers do not require obtaining a licence to provide communication services. 

The rules for concluding a pricing agreement for tax purposes in relation to a foreign trade transaction have been adjusted.

It was decided to extend non-tariff quotas for the export of mineral fertilizers from Russia outside the EAEU. They will be valid from June 1 to November 30, 2024 inclusive.