PRESS RELEASE *
The following issues are scheduled for discussion at the Government Presidium meeting on October 25, 2010
1. Progress on the Plan of Measures to Improve Supervisory and Licensing Functions and Optimise the Delivery of Government Services by Federal Executive Bodies in Agriculture
In 2010 this plan envisages the development and submission to the Government of the Russian Federation of five draft laws on plant quarantine and veterinary matters, 14 draft acts of the Government of the Russian Federation and six reports by the Agriculture Ministry and a report by the Transport Ministry.
Of the 26 measures scheduled for 2010 the deadlines have arrived for three: items 11, 24 and 25.
Progress on the Plan of Measures
Item 11. Development of a draft federal law on introducing amendments to some legislative acts of the Russian Federation to improve state management in veterinarian activity (deadline March 2010).
The Agriculture Ministry has prepared a draft federal law on introducing amendments to some legislative acts of the Russian Federation to improve state management in veterinarian activity.
The draft law passed the first reading at the State Duma on June 30, 2010.
In September 2010 the Agriculture Ministry submitted to the Government of the Russian Federation draft amendments to said law. The draft amendments have now been finalised.
Item 24. Preparation of the report to the Government of the Russian Federation on the implementation of measures to convert to a system of technical regulation in veterinarian activity (deadline: April 2010).
In May 2010 the Agriculture Ministry submitted a report on the implementation of measures to convert to a system of technical regulation in veterinarian activity (technical regulations in veterinarian activity are being prepared with the aim of forming a Common Economic Space of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation).
Item 25. Preparation of the report to the Government of the Russian Federation on the implementation of measures to form a consolidated list of laboratory research in veterinarian activity (deadline: June 2010).
In July 2010 the Agriculture Ministry submitted a report on the implementation of measures to form a consolidated list of laboratory research in veterinarian activity.
At present, pursuant to the instructions of the Government, the Agriculture Ministry continues work to form a consolidated list of laboratory research in veterinarian activity.
2. Review the development of aquaculture The materials have been submitted by Rosrybolovstvo (the Federal Fishery Agency).
The main aim of the development of aquaculture in Russia as determined by Rosrybolovstvo is providing the country’s population with a wide range of domestic fish products at prices that people at various income levels can afford. To achieve that aim and in accordance with the Strategy of the Development of the Fisheries Sector to 2020 the aquaculture products output must be increased to at least 410,000 tons a year.
To ensure a comprehensive approach to the solution of the tasks set and in accordance with the decision of the Government Commission on the Development of the Fisheries Industry of August 17, 2010, Rosrybolovstvo has developed and submitted for approval to the federal executive bodies concerned a programme for the development of fisheries (aquaculture) in the Russian Federation. The programme lays down the guidelines for the development of aquaculture and distributes powers between the federal center and the regions in creating the relevant infrastructure.
The basis for the regulatory legal framework in the field of aquaculture is the draft federal law on aquaculture and the introduction of amendments to some legislative acts of the Russian Federation developed by Rosrybolovstvo in conjunction with the federal executive bodies concerned. The draft law regulates the relations arising during the course of activities of farming and breeding water animals and plants and on the use of bodies of water and parts thereof for these purposes.
The draft law:
- defines the basic concepts, including some that are not in the current legislation (for example, pasture fish farming, fish farming areas, etc);
- defines the main principles of state policy in the field of aquaculture and the main areas of state support;
- introduces legal standards that set rules for making available and using bodies of water for aquaculture purposes and determine the right of ownership of cultivated water animals and plants (there are no such legal norms in the current legislation);
- regulates the types of commercial fish farming as entrepreneurial activities of keeping and breeding, including the growing of water animals and plants in artificial habitats for the purpose of creating and marketing products.
Rosrybolovstvo proposes the following measures to secure the material and technical development of aquaculture:
- organisations under the jurisdiction of Rosrybolovstvo to be granted the right to engage in commercial fish farming which will enable them to use their production capacity without prejudice to artificial reproduction of water bioresources, to organise the production of fertilised caviar and small fry of rainbow trout, sturgeon, peled and other fishes for the enterprises that grow them to commercial size;
- pursue the issue of providing fishing vessels with specialised equipment for the production of fish meal for aquaculture purposes, specifically for the production of higher quality and inexpensive fish feeds;
- the use for aquaculture purposes of hot water sources, both natural and created as a result of the operation of power plants;
- creating conditions for the development of pasture aquaculture;
- introduction of state economic measures to stimulate commercial fish farming (affordable credit for startup and operation of farms; subsidizing part of the cost of building, refurbishing and modernising aquaculture enterprises, the purchase of fish breeding technology, feeds and fish placing materials; reduction or lifting of import duties on breeding material and technological equipment for aquaculture that have no domestic analogues);
- increased funding from the federal budget for artificial reproduction and allocation of federal budget resources for improvement of the fisheries industry.
The following measures are proposed for the purpose of putting aquaculture on the innovative development path:
- creation of innovative fisheries centers to concentrate intellectual and financial resources;
- scientific research aimed at optimising and cutting the cost of fish farming processes in aquaculture;
- training specialists in the field of aquaculture with internships at advanced fish farms abroad.
3. Draft federal law on introducing amendments to parts 1 and 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation on providing favourable tax conditions for innovation activity
The draft federal law has been submitted by the Finance Ministry.
The draft law is aimed at improving the current legislation of the Russian Federation on taxes and levies in order to create a favourable tax environment for innovation activities in the Russian Federation.
The draft law formulates more clearly the procedure of accounting the cost of research and (or) development (R/D) in determining the base for the profit tax of organisations.
In this connection the draft law contains the list of expenditure items (wages, amortisation deductions, material and other expenses) referred to R/D expenditure for the purpose of taxing the profits of organisations.
Under the draft law R/D costs are evenly included by the tax payer in the total expenditure during one year beginning from the first of the month following the month when such research or development (stages of such work) were completed.
For the purpose of even-paced accounting of R/D costs the tax payer is granted the right to form a reserve against future R/D costs in the tax records. It is assumed that the tax payer, proceeding from his developed and approved programmes, makes an independent decision on creating the reserve including the corresponding decision in the records for the purposes of taxation. The tax payer costs incurred in implementing said programmes are financed from such reserve.
The draft law would exempt from profit tax and income tax of natural persons the income from the sale of the shares of Russian organisations that do not circulate in the organised securities market as well as securities circulating in the organised securities market in innovation industry sectors on condition that they have been owned by the tax payer for a continuous five years on the date of sale or redemption.
Such measures are aimed at stimulating long-term venture financing and making private investment in innovative activities more attractive.
To stimulate the modernisation of organisations and the use of modern energy-efficient equipment, an exemption from the tax on the property of organisations is introduced as of January 1, 2011 for three years with regard to newly commissioned high energy efficiency objects in accordance with the list of such objects established by the Government of the Russian Federation or with regard to newly commissioned projects that have a high energy efficiency rating.
4. Draft federal law on introducing amendments to the federal law On Counteracting Terrorism
The draft federal law has been submitted to the Government by the Federal Security Service.
Under the draft law levels of terrorist danger may be established in the Russian Federation that envisage additional measures to ensure the security of individuals, society and the state. It empowers the President of the Russian Federation to determine the procedure for introducing levels of terrorist danger and the content of security measures.
Such measures will apply to the activities of the federal executive bodies, the executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and local government bodies engaged in counteracting terrorism. The announcing of terrorist danger levels does not envisage, under the law, the introduction of any restrictions to the rights and freedoms of citizens.
The need to introduce levels of terrorist danger in the country is prompted by the need for the total body of preventive measures against terrorist threats to be comprehensive in character and to take into account all possible variants of the development of events. This will enable the counterterrorist entities to react to the threat of terrorist attacks in a timely manner.
When the threat of a terrorist attack arises in certain areas (facilities) of the Russian Federation the following levels of terrorist danger will be introduced: high (“blue”), very high (“yellow”) and critical (“red”). Acting within the framework of these levels of terrorist danger, the federal government bodies, the executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the local government bodies for counteracting terrorism will include additional measures enforced in accordance with the procedure determined by the President of the Russian Federation.
The draft law also eliminates contradictions between provisions determining the procedure for taking decisions to carry out and direct a counterterrorist operation as well as the procedure for organising and conducting counterterrorist operations revealed during the course of enforcement of the federal law On Counteracting Terrorism.
In particular, the draft law envisages that the counterterrorist operation is to be supervised by the official who has ordered the counterterrorist operation and establishes that during the course of the counterterrorist operation the official in charge of the operation may only be replaced by the head of the federal executive body in the security field.
5. Draft federal law on ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on Mutual supplies of Military, Dual-purpose and Civilian Goods during Periods of Heightened Aggression and in Wartime
The draft federal law has been submitted by the Foreign Ministry.
The document approves and recommends ratification of the agreement which is aimed at further strengthening relations between Russia and Belarus by creating a legal framework and mechanisms for bilateral military-economic and military-technical cooperation during periods of heightened aggression and in wartime.
6. Draft federal law on ratification of the Agreement on Customs Procedures for Goods Sent in International Postal Items
These materials have been prepared and submitted to the Government by the Foreign Ministry and the Federal Customs Service of Russia.
This agreement was signed in St Petersburg on June 18, 2010 during a meeting of the Customs Union Commission at the level of deputy prime ministers. The signing of the agreement meets the need to form a legal framework for the Customs Union within EurAsEC.
The aim of the agreement is to simplify customs operations and customs control with respect to goods sent in international postal items across the customs border of the Customs Union by international post as well as posted between the member states of the Customs Union.
The agreement determines the specifics of customs operations with respect to goods sent in international postal items upon arrival at the customs territory of the Customs Union, departure from that territory as well as when being placed under the customs procedure of customs transit of such goods.
7. Draft federal law on introducing amendments to Article 33 of the Federal Law On the Electric Power Industry and Article 11 of the Federal Law On the Specifics of Electric Power Industry Functioning during the Transition Period, Introduction of Amendments into Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation, and Repeal of Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation due to the Adoption of the Federal Law On the Electric Power Industry
This material has been prepared and submitted by the Energy Ministry.
The draft law is aimed at ensuring the participation of representatives of nuclear and hydroelectric power stations in the management structure of the Market Council non-commercial partnership. Under the laws of the Russian Federation the Market Council Supervisory Board includes:
- eight representatives authorised by the Government of the Russian Federation and appointed from amongst members of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, representatives of federal executive bodies and electric power industry experts;
- four representatives of the sellers of electricity;
- four representatives of the buyers of electricity;
- four representatives of commercial and technological infrastructure organisations.
The draft law will introduce amendments to Part 4 of Article 33 of the federal law On the Electric Power Industry as well as in Article 11 of the Federal Law On the Specifics of Electric Power Industry Functioning during the Transition Period, Introduction of Amendments into Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation, and Repeal of Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation due to the Adoption of the Federal Law On the Electric Power Industry that guarantee representation on the Market Council Supervisory Board of the sellers of electricity who represent the wholesale electricity and capacity market primarily generating equipment for nuclear and hydroelectric power stations. The total number of representatives of the sellers and buyers of electricity on the Supervisory Board will not increase.
The proposed draft law will enable the governing bodies of the Market Council to take balanced decisions that meet the interests of a wide range of participants in the wholesale electricity and capacity market with due account of the specificities of the operations of various types of power generation, including nuclear and hydroelectric power plants in the wholesale market.
8. Approving technical regulations on the safety of gas distribution and consumer supply networks
The draft government resolution on approving technical regulations on the safety of gas distribution and consumer supply networks has been developed pursuant to the Federal Law On Technical Regulation and has been submitted by the Energy Ministry.
The draft technical regulations set the minimum requirements of industrial, mechanical and explosion hazards and fire safety presented to gas distribution and consumer supply networks.
The safety requirements for gas distribution and gas consumer supply networks are set for the following stages: design (including engineering studies), construction, reconstruction, assembly, operation (including current and capital repairs), mothballing and closing. In accordance with the requirements of the federal law On Technical Regulation, the draft technical regulations envisage compliance assessment that is done in the following forms:
- during the design stage (including engineering studies) gas distribution and consumption networks, state audit of the project documentation for the construction of gas distribution and consumer supply networks and the results of engineering studies in accordance with the laws on urban development;
- during the completion of the construction and reconstruction of gas distribution and consumer supply networks, acceptance of gas distribution and consumer supply networks;
- during the construction, reconstruction, assembly, maintenance (including current and capital repairs), mothballing and decommissioning of gas distribution and consumer supply networks, state control (supervision).
No other methods of assessing compliance of gas distribution and consumer supply networks with the technical regulations except those stipulated hereunder are allowed. State control (supervision of compliance with requirements is to be carried out by the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision.
The technical regulations also contain provisions that determine the liability for violating technical regulation requirements.
9. Introducing amendments to some legislative acts of the Government of the Russian Federation on the activities of the Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation
This draft resolution has been formulated and submitted by the Energy Ministry to ensure the quality of state services in the sphere of fuel and energy and in connection with the vesting of the Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation with additional responsibility.
Under government resolution No.400 of May 28, 2008 On the Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation, the Energy Ministry was vested with 46 functions in the fuel and energy sphere and the maximum size of the Energy Ministry central staff was set at 464 positions (less security and service personnel), and the size of the staffs of territorial bodies at 88 positions (less security and service personnel).
In the period since the above government resolution was passed, amendments have repeatedly been introduced to the laws of the Russian Federation, including the Statute on the Ministry as a result of which the Energy Ministry was vested with additional functions whereas the ceiling on the number of Energy Ministry employees has not been raised.
In order to fulfill the additional functions the Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation needs 45 additional staff positions to create a new structural unit and increase the staff of six existing structural units of the Ministry.
The proposed draft resolution would amend Government Resolution No.400 of May 28, 2008 on the Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation by raising the ceiling on the number of Energy Ministry staff by 45 positions, as well as Government Resolution No.893 of November 26, 2008 On the Remuneration Fund for the Employees of the Central and Territorial Staff of the Federal Executive Bodies that envisaged a corresponding increase in the remuneration fund of the Energy Ministry central staff.
The additional staff positions are to be introduced as of January 1, 2011.
10. Submitting to the President of the Russian Federation for the purpose of introducing for ratification the Agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan on Creating the Central Asian Regional Information Coordinating Center to Combat the Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors
This document has been submitted by the Foreign Ministry and the Federal Drug Control Service of Russia.
The Agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan on Creating the Central Asian Regional Information Coordinating Center to Combat the Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors was signed on behalf of the Russian Federation in Moscow on September 4, 2009.
The aim of the Agreement is to create a Central Asian Regional Information and Coordinating Center to Combat the Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors.
Under Article 3 of the Agreement, the Center is a permanent body that facilitates the organisation and conduct of coordinated joint international operational and investigative measures to combat drug trafficking. In addition, the Center will collect, store, protect, analyze and use information on trans-border crime connected with drug trafficking.
The Agreement has been prepared with due account of modern practices of concluding treaties and passing legislation in the Russian Federation as well as international standards in this area.
The Agreement is subject to ratification under Subsection A, Section 1 and Section 2 of Article 14 of the Federal Law On International Treaties of the Russian Federation inasmuch as it contains rules other than those envisaged under the laws of the Russian Federation (pertaining to privileges and immunities of the Center’s officials on the territories of the signatory states).
11. Submitting to the president of the Russian Federation for the purpose of introducing for ratification the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Arab Republic of Egypt on Extradition of Persons Sentenced to Imprisonment
This draft federal law has been submitted by the Foreign Ministry and the Justice Ministry.
The treaty between the Russian Federation and the Arab Republic of Egypt on the extradition of persons sentenced to imprisonment, signed in Cairo on June 23, 2009, regulates Russian-Egyptian relations on the issues of extradition of those sentenced to imprisonment for the purpose of serving their sentence in the state in which they are citizens and will contribute to protecting the rights and legitimate interests of Russian citizens.
The Treaty is subject to ratification in accordance with subsections A and B, Section 1 and Section 2 of Article 15 of the Federal Law On International Treaties of the Russian Federation as well as in accordance with Section 1, Article 20 of the Treaty.
12. Introducing amendments to some acts of the Government of the Russian Federation
This draft resolution introducing amendments to some acts of the Government of the Russian Federation has been submitted to the government by the Ministry for Economic Development.
The amendments are aimed at implementing the provisions of the Federal Law On Amendments to the Federal Law about Evaluation Activities in the Russian Federation and Some Acts of the Russian Federation and would seal the amendments introduced to the Regulations on the Ministry for Economic Development, Regulations on the Federal Service of State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography, as well as the Rules of Conducting State Cadastre Evaluation of Land.
Under the federal law the functions of adopting some regulatory legal acts in the sphere of evaluation (including the procedure for supervising the activities of self-regulating organisations of evaluators, the procedure of maintaining the bank of data on state cadastre evaluation and the release of data from that bank, the requirements to the report on determining the cadastre value, etc.) are performed by the authorised federal body that performs the functions of legal regulation of evaluating activities, the development of state policy and legal regulation of the maintenance of the state cadastre, cadastre records and cadastre activities and land tenure relations. For the purpose of implementing the federal law the draft proposes to name the Ministry for Economic Development as the federal executive body that performs the functions of developing state policy and legal regulation in the sphere of state cadastre evaluation (formerly the Ministry exercised powers in the sphere of state cadastre evaluation of land).
In addition to the powers introduced under the federal law the draft will also vest the Ministry for Economic Development and Rosreyestr with the powers to monitor cadastre value. To this end the draft envisages that monitoring be carried out by Rosreyestr and its territorial bodies in accordance with the procedure set by the Ministry for Economic Development.
The draft also proposes a review of the names of the authorised federal executive bodies referred to in the Rules.
13. Budget allocations to the Tomsk Region Administration from the Reserve Fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the Prevention of Emergency Situations and the Carrying out of Disaster Relief Operations for the purpose of dealing with the consequences of the flooding in the Tomsk Region in April-May, 2010
The draft executive order has been submitted by the Ministry for Emergencies.
As a result of the flood on the territory of the Tomsk Region in April-May 2010 significant material damage has been caused to the population, the residential and utilities sector and the social sphere.
The draft executive order allocates to the Tomsk Region Administration in 2010 money from the Reserve Fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the Prevention of Emergency Situations and the Carrying out of Disaster Relief Operations towards the cost of measures taken to deal with the consequences of the floods in April-May, 2010 in the total amount of 270,288,700 roubles, to be divided as follows:
937,800 roubles for emergency rescue work;
8,574,700 roubles for lump sum relief payments to citizens;
136,345,900 roubles to assist the citizens who have lost basic necessities;
247,140,300 roubles for urgent emergency and restoration work at various facilities.
14. Humanitarian financial assistance to the Palestinian National Authority
Moscow, October 24, 2010
* Press releases by the Department of Press Service and Information contain the materials submitted by the executive federal bodies for discussion by the Presidium of the Government of the Russian Federation