Restrictions and measures of state support for business: the digest for 12 - 25 May 2025

DRAFT LAWS

A fine for violating payment deadlines will be extended to agreements with all suppliers

Draft federal law No. 921844-8

The draft has been put before the State Duma.

It has been proposed that amendments be made to article 7.30.4(7) of the Code of Administrative Offences.

A sanction has been stipulated for a customer violating a payment deadline, as established by Law No. 223-FZ, under an agreement (or a particular milestone of it) which was entered into, based on a procurement exercise, with supplier, whether or not the latter is classified as a small or medium-sized enterprise.

LEGISLATION

Fines have been raised for requirements being violated for protecting restricted information

Federal Law No. 104-FZ dated 23 May 2025

Came into effect on 23 May 2025.

Specifically, amendments have been made to parts 2 and 6 of article 13.12 of the Code of Administrative Offences and the amounts of the fines have been increased for:

• using uncertified information systems/databases and data banks/tools for protecting information;
• other violations of the requirements for the protection of information.

The amount of the fines for the above offences will be RUB 10,000 to RUB 50,000 for companies' officers and RUB 50,000 to RUB 100,000 for legal entities.

The prosecutor’s office will maintain a database of harm caused by unfriendly states

The Russian President’s Ruling No. 335 dated 19 May 2025

Came into effect on 19 May 2025.

Prosecution agencies have been vested with powers to collect, check, record and classify information regarding harm caused to Russia, Russia’s constituent entities and municipalities, as well as to property of individuals and companies (with harm connected with sanctions in the financial sector being an exception) by foreign sources, with such sources being unfriendly states and territories and persons who act in their interests.

The General Prosecutor’s Office will approve the procedure for such monitoring to be carried out as well as for the register of relevant information to be maintained.

A down payment under a public contract may amount to 50% in 2025

The Russian Government’s Decree No. 638 dated 13 May 2025

Came into effect on 22 May 2025.

The effect of provisions of the Russian Government’s Decree No. 1496 dated 9 December 2017 have been suspended until 31 December 2025 in terms of limiting down payments under public contracts with treasury support.

In 2025, business entities may be eligible to receive up to 50% of the amount of a contract (a public contract) with treasury support within the scope of public procurement, but not more than the thresholds of budgetary obligations.

In contracts which were entered into before 22 May 2025, the parties may amend the terms and conditions for such down payments to be made or for their amounts to be increased, while staying in compliance with the amount of performance security (article 96(6) of Law No. 44-FZ).