On 15 February 2010 the Russian President signed Federal Law No. 11-FZ “On Amendments to Article 29 of the Federal Law “On Banks and Banking” (hereinafter – “Article 29 of the Bank Law”).

In an information alert dated 11 January 2010, Pepeliaev Group reported that Federal Law No. 381-FZ dated 28 December 2009 “On the Fundamentals of State Regulation of Trade in the Russian Federation” had been adopted at the end of 2009 and would come into force from 1 February 2010.

The Presidium of the Russian Supreme Arbitration Court recognised on 8 December 2009 that the use and administration of domain names constituted the infringement of rights to a corporate name.

Wer reported that the Presidium of the Russian Supreme Arbitration Court passed Resolution No. 11200/09 dated 24 November 2009, clarifying when a taxpayer should deduct interest on loan obligations for profit tax purposes.

Federal Law No. 343-FZ “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Facilitating Development of Housing Construction” and Individual Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” was adopted on 27 December 2009.

As specified in the decision of the Supreme Court of Russia, a consignment note (form No. 1-T) and a delivery note (form TORG-12) are not equivalent source documents and should be applied for different legal relations.

• Federal Law No. 384-FZ “Technical Regulations on the Safety of Buildings and Structures” was adopted on 30 December 2009 and will enter into force on 30 June 2010.
• On 21 December 2009 the Russian Government adopted Resolution No. 1044 dated 21 December 2009 “On Amendments to the Regulations on the Composition of the Sections of Design Documentation and Requirements on their Content.”

Federal Law No. 351-FZ “On Amendments to Article 3 of the Federal Law ‘On the Entry into Force of the Russian Land Code’ and Individual Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” and Federal Law No. 342-FZ on extending the term for re-registering rights of permanent (indefinite) use of land plots were adopted on 27 December 2009.

The Russian Ministry for Regional Development approved on 21 October 2009 Order No. 480 on amendments to Order No. 274 of the Russian Ministry for Regional Development dated 9 December 2008 “On Approving the List of Types of Work on Civil Engineering Surveys, on the Drafting of Design Documentation, Construction, Reconstruction and Major Repairs of Capital Construction Projects, Which Affect the Safety of the Capital Construction Projects”.