Pepeliaev Group is the best European firm in tax policy according to the European Tax Awards

Law firm Pepeliaev Group has topped the ‘Best European firm of the year in tax policy’ category of the European Tax Awards 2017 international legal ratings. 

In this category, awards go to law firms that implement projects in the field of reforming tax legislation. Pepeliaev Group has been acting for FIFA for several years in its negotiations with the Russian government in relation to the raft of sports-related legislation and subordinate legislation to be developed in the context of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 

In addition, the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry commissioned our firm to analyse various payments which are similar to taxes and levies but are not included in the Russian Tax Code. These payments are charged in various industries and in fact create a parallel tax system. The amount of such payments already exceeds RUB 700 billion (1% of GDP). The research conducted by Pepeliaev Group’s lawyers proposes a comprehensive mechanism for administering tax, customs and other fiscal payments. The Russian President supported the suggestions we made and instructed that they be passed to the Russian Government to be developed so that a roadmap could be drawn up. Legislative amendments would subsequently be introduced. 

“Our efforts in tax policy are not limited only to client projects," comments Pepeliaev Group's managing partner Sergey Pepeliaev. "We are actively engaged in academic and educational work: we publish textbooks and teaching workbooks for students; our lawyers teach at Moscow's leading universities. For 13 years, our company has been publishing the journal Nalogoved for tax professionals. Our lawyers are engaged on a regular basis to work in expert councils aimed at the improvement of tax legislation. These councils have been under the auspices of the State Duma and the Federation Council, the Russian Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Accounts Chamber, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the organisation Open Government, and the Centre for Strategic Developments. The Russian Constitutional Court invites Pepeliaev Group’s lawyers to express an expert position in the cases it is examining. All these projects are extremely important for the development of the Russian legal system”.