The conditions of transactions involving a disposal of shares and membership interests of Russian companies by "hostile" non-residents and a payment of dividends by Russian JSCs and LLCs to foreign shareholders and participants have been published The Government Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of Foreign Investments in Russia has established a list of conditions for the carrying out (performance) of transactions (operations) aimed at the disposal of securities, including shares and membership interests in (contributions to) the issued capitals of Russian legal entities, with the participation of "hostile" non-residents and persons under their control, as well as payments of profit (dividends) by Russian legal entities to foreign members (shareholders), compliance with which will be assessed when the authorised entity makes decisions on whether to issue (refuse to issue) permits for the implementation of relevant transactions (operations).

The State Duma is preparing to adopt a draft law to strengthen liability for using digital algorithms in cartels On 21 December 2022 the State Duma passed in the first reading a draft law which amends the Russian Code of Administrative Offences.

The State Duma has approved in the first reading two draft laws as part of the “anti-cartel package” On 15 December 2022 the State Duma approved in the first reading the draft laws  aimed at toughening criminal and administrative liability for participating in anti-competitive agreements.

A new information system and new town-planning documentation: changes to the town-planning code

Pepeliaev Group advises of the adoption of a federal law that provides for the establishing of Stroycomplex.RF, a unified information system supporting town-planning activities; a new type of town-planning documentation is also introduced.

New forms of notifications of Roskomnadzor have been approved Starting from 26 December 2022, personal data operators will be required to use new forms of notifications regarding the intention to process personal data, regarding changes in the information contained in the notification of the intention to process personal data, and regarding the termination of personal data processing.

Since the start of 2023, the state duty for the registration of supplementary agreements to real estate leases has been reduced Pepeliaev Group advises of the adoption of Federal Law No. 493-FZ 'On amending article 333.33 of Part II of the Russian Tax Code' dated 5 December 2022. The law establishes the new amount of state duty for registering supplementary agreements to real estate leases.

A record-keeping system for internet advertising has started to operate in Russia

Pepeliaev Group advises that on 31 October 2022 the transition period finished for a record-keeping system for Internet advertising to be implemented in Russia. Now the players on the market of Internet advertising are obliged to submit to the Unified Register of Internet Advertising (the “Register”) information about Internet advertising aimed at attracting the attention of consumers of advertising located in Russia, to obtain an advertising identifier for each advertising material and to label Internet advertising with the “advertising” mark.

Numerous amendments to tax legislation have been adopted Numerous amendments to tax legislation have been adopted, including those related to the special military operation.

The Constitutional Court has obliged public authorities to pay interest on a efund of the recycling charge which has been collected in excess The Russian Constitutional Court has held that if the recycling charge has been collected in excess the relevant amount should be refunded with interest. The same rule which applies to the refund of taxes should apply in this case.

The fifth antimonopoly package of amendments has been adopted in the first reading

On 10 November, the State Duma adopted in the first reading a draft law that discloses for the first time the concept of a "network effect" and also contains provisions aimed at combating the abuse of a dominant position on digital markets, improving the procedure for monitoring economic concentration, regulating the procedure for an expert examination by the antimonopoly authority, as well as a number of other new developments. 

The government has established requirements for handling animal by-products

On 3 November 2022, the Russian Government’s Resolution No. 1940 dated 31 October 2022 was published, which establishes requirements for the storage, processing, reprocessing, transportation, sale and use of by-products of animal farming in agricultural production.

The government has approved the list of violations that will result in animal by-products being recognised as waste

The Government has published its Instruction No. 3256-r dated 31 October approving the list of violations of the rules for handling animal by-products (ABP), which will result in such by-products being recognised as waste.