7 june 2012

Background material for the government meeting of June 7, 2012 (press release)

PRESS RELEASE*

The following issues are scheduled for discussion at the Government meeting on June 7, 2012:

1. Introducing Amendments to the Forecast Plan (Programme) for Privatising Federal Property and the Main Directions of Privatising Federal Property in 2011-2013

The draft directive provides for the adjustment of plans on privatising shares of the biggest joint stock companies and indicates privatisation plans up to 2016

2. Draft federal law On Ratifying the Protocol of the Russian Federation's Accession to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organisation of April 15, 1994

The draft provides for the ratification of the protocol of the Russian Federation's Accession to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organisation of April 15, 1994 signed in Geneva on December  16, 2011.  The main goal of ratification is to ensure full membership in the WTO. The protocol determines legal foundations for Russia’s compliance with its WTO commitments.

The protocol includes lists of obligations on goods and services.

The report of the working group is not a supplement to the protocol. It is a separate official WTO document summing up the results of the working group’s discussions on individual elements of Russia’s economic system and trade regulations, and the conformity of these regulations to those of the WTO. The report consists of seven sections (Economy and economic policy; legal framework for enforcing trade policy; policies affecting trade in goods; trade-related intellectual property regime (TRIPS); policies affecting trade in services; transparency; free trade and customs union agreements). Each section describes the trade regime of Russia and the Customs Union in the relevant field, requirements and positions of the working group members and agreed-upon commitments ensuring compliance of the Russian trade regime with the WTO rules.

3. Draft federal law On State Support for the Producers of Motor Transport and its Units

This draft federal law provides for sealing government guarantees, ensuring that if duties on auto components imported for industrial assembly are increased, the companies will be reimbursed for additional expenses from the federal budget in 2018-2020.

4. Submitting to the President of the Russian Federation a proposal  on signing the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse  of October 25, 2007

The convention was open for signature on October 25, 2007 and entered into effect on July 1, 2010.

In accordance with its provisions, the convention is open for signature by the member states of the Council of Europe, the non-member states that participated in formulating it and by the European Union.

The convention establishes international standards in combating the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The convention was signed by 43 states but ratified only by 18. The following states of the Council of Europe signed in 2007-2008 but have not yet ratified it: Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden.

For the time being, it is suggested that states should sign the convention, postponing its ratification until a later date.

In the interval between signing and ratification, signatories to a treaty usually tailor their national legislation and law-enforcement practice to the treaty's requirements. A signatory is not considered to be a participant in an international treaty until it ratifies it, but should refrain from actions that run counter to the goals of the treaty.  

5. Submitting to the President of the Russian Federation a proposal  on signing the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography that was adopted by the UN General Assembly on May 25, 2000

The UN General Assembly adopted this protocol at its 54th session on May 25, 2000. It entered into effect on January 18, 2002.

Russia ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child on June 13, 1990.

The optional protocol establishes international standards in countering sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

Relevant government bodies are implementing a set of measures in order to be ready to comply with the obligations of a signatory to the protocol.

For the time being, it is suggested that states should sign the protocol, postponing its ratification until a later date.

In the interval between signing and ratification, signatories to a treaty usually tailor their national legislation and law-enforcement practice to the treaty's requirements. A signatory is not considered to be a participant in an international treaty until it ratifies it but should refrain from actions that run counter to the goals of the treaty.  

6. Submitting to the President of the Russian Federation for introducing for subsequent ratification the Protocol on the Deployment of Military Facilities on the Territory of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) Member Countries

A relevant draft resolution suggests approving the protocol and proposes that the president submit it for ratification to the State Duma.

In accordance with the protocol, the CSTO member countries decide on the deployment on their territory of troops (forces) and military facilities that are not CSTO members only after consultations with other CSTO member countries and in the absence of their official objections.

7. Submitting to the President of the Russian Federation for introducing for subsequent ratification the Agreement on Common Principles for Establishing Inter-State Research-and-Production Associations in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation for the Manufacture of Military Products

This draft resolution suggests approving the Agreement on Common Principles for Establishing Inter-State Research-and-Production Associations in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation for the Manufacture of Military Products signed in Moscow on December 10, 2010 and proposes that the President submit it for ratification to the State Duma.

The agreement sets a legal foundation for establishing inter-state research-and-production associations within the CSTO. The associations will have integrated research-and-production potential that would establish common production and technological lines on the development and manufacture of military equipment, its maintenance, modernisation and disposal. The associations will be entitled to distribute contracted equipment to CSTO member countries.

8. Submitting to the President of the Russian Federation for introducing for subsequent ratification the Agreement on Preserving the Profile of Enterprises and Organisations Involved in the Manufacture of Military Products within the Collective Security Treaty Organisation

This draft resolution suggests approving the Agreement on Preserving the Profile of Enterprises and Organisations Involved in the Manufacture of Military Products within the Collective Security Treaty Organisation signed in Moscow on December 10, 2010 and proposes that the President submit it for ratification to the State Duma.

The expediency of ratifying the agreement is determined by the need to ensure sustainable and predictable development of enterprises and organisations within the defence industries of the CSTO member countries.

The main provision of the agreement consists of an instruction to the Inter-State Commission on CSTO Military-Economic Cooperation to compile a list of enterprises and organisations the profile of which is worth preserving in the interests of this cooperation.

The list envisaged by the agreement will allow the authorised bodies to establish the order and deadlines for stopping the manufacture of military products by these organisations, and to make decisions on the their participation in the joint development and production of prototypes of arms and military hardware.

9. Draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation on the Introduction of Biometric Personal Data to the Residence Permit of Stateless Persons and to a Travel Document of a Refugee

The proposed changes are designed to introduce provisions that will require that the said documents contain electronic chips containing the biometric personal data of their owners. Electronic chips will contain the following biometrical parameters: a digital colour photo of the owners and the papillary image of both hands.

10. Draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation to Protect the Rights of Citizens that Are the Victims of Crime

The draft is designed to improve the mechanism of compensation for damage done to the victims of crime and to upgrade their protection by the state.

The draft suggests introducing amendments to the Criminal Code and the Correctional Code, according to which compensation for damage to the victim is an indispensable condition of release on parole, substituting the remainder of the term with light punishment and early clearance.

The draft suggests introducing amendments into the Code of Criminal Procedure to expand the rights of the victims in the criminal proceedings.

Under the draft, a person receives the status of a victim in no more than five days after sufficient data indicating the damage done to a physical or legal entity is received and registered in a resolution by an investigating officer or by a judge or in a court ruling.

The draft gives the victims of crime and their representatives the right to read decisions on the conduct of forensic reports and their conclusions, decisions on the indictment of a person as a defendant and on the line-up of the investigation team before the preliminary investigation is completed, as well as the right to read the materials of a dismissed criminal case.

In addition, the draft suggests introducing into the Code of Criminal Procedure amendments aimed at establishing the order of storing the information on the injured party and other participants in the criminal proceedings that have been entered into the criminal case file, and the order of using their pseudonyms in the verdict. These measures will enhance the guarantees of confidentiality of the information about the injured party and other participants in the criminal proceedings.

11. Draft federal law On Ratifying the Protocol on Introducing Amendments and Supplements to the Treaty on the Application of Special, Protective, Anti-Dumping and Compensatory Measures with regard to Third Countries of January 25, 2008

12. Draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to Article 25 of the Federal Law On the Procedures for Entrance and Exit from the Russian Federation

The draft is designed to ensure uniform regulation of easier visa procedures and visa-free entrance of foreign citizens into Russia.

Cases in which foreign citizens and stateless persons are allowed to enter Russia without visas are determined by the Federal Law on the Procedures for Entrance and Exit from the Russian Federation. Foreigners are obliged to present visas unless otherwise stipulated by international treaties or executive orders of the President of the Russian Federation.

The federal law does not contain provisions on easing visa regulation. It is necessary to remove this contradiction in the context of active efforts to sign international treaties to ease visa procedures.

13. Introducing Amendments to the Provisions on the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation

The draft provides for tailoring the said provisions to the new edition of the Federal Law on State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs.

14. Making by the Russian Federation a Targeted Contribution in 2012-2014 to the Programme for Upgrading Primary and Secondary Vocational Education and Promoting the Development of Labour Markets in the Countries of the CIS, Asia and the Middle East under the Supervision of the International Labour Organisation

The Ministry of Finance has made a draft directive on the introduction by the Russian Federation in 2012-2014 of a targeted contribution of up to $8 million to the Programme for Upgrading Primary and Secondary Vocational Education and Promoting the Development of Labour Markets in the Countries of the CIS, Asia and the Middle East under the Supervision of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The draft is aimed at helping the countries of the CIS, Asia and the Middle East to implement their national strategies on developing primary and secondary vocational education.

The draft suggests instructing the Ministry of Finance:

  • to negotiate with the ILO the procedure for transferring the said contribution;
  • to transfer up to $4 million to the ILO in 2012 to fund the expenses envisaged by the draft directive by using the funds allocated to the ministry by the Federal Law on the Budget of 2012 and the Planned Period of 2013-2014; 
  • to provide for the funding of expenses in the draft federal budget for 2013 and 2014.

Moscow, June 6, 2012 

 

* Press releases by the Department of Press Service and Information are based on the materials submitted by the executive federal bodies for discussion by the Government meeting.