1. On the Draft State Programme “Development of the North Caucasus Federal District until 2025”

The State Programme is called upon to encourage economic growth by creating new centres of economic growth and by coordinating infrastructure investment of the state and investment strategies of the business community, with due consideration for spatial development priorities and resource restrictions.

The State Programme includes the following sub-programmes:

• “Improving the Investment Climate in the North Caucasus Federal District”;
• “Developing the Caucasus Mineral Waters Protected Environmental-Resort Region”;
• “Developing the Tourist Cluster in the North Caucasus Federal District, the Krasnodar Territory and the Adygea Republic.”

Cost-effective and long-term planning of the development of the North Caucasus Federal  District, and an assessment of the influence and sufficiency of its resources among Russian regions will be conducted in line with seven territorial sub-programmes for each region of the Federal District. 

Government decision:

To approve the Draft State Programme “Development of the North Caucasus Federal District until 2025.”

2. On monitoring the 2012-2013 heating season

An assessment of materials submitted by the Ministry of Energy reveals that preparations for the 2012-2013 heating season and the heating season itself are proceeding as planned.

By December 1, 2012, all power plants have received the required amounts of fuel (coal and boiler oil). Scheduled repairs and maintenance of power-and-energy equipment were conducted in the first ten months of 2012 and totalled 47,000 mWt of generating capacities, 138,000 tonne/hours of energy boilers’ capacities, 94,400 kilometres of power transmission lines and 434 kilometres of heating mains.

Government decision:

The Ministry of Energy (Alexander Novak) shall monitor the state of power-and-energy companies and facilities during the 2012-2013 heating season, and its officials shall report on the results to the Government each month.

The Ministry of Regional Development (Igor Slyunyayev) shall monitor the state of enterprises of the housing/municipal utilities sector during the 2012-2013 heating season, and its officials shall report on the results to the Government each month.

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (Igor Artemyev) shall monitor petroleum, coal and gas prices during the 2012-2013 heating season, and its officials shall report on all violations and countermeasures to the Government each month.

Executive bodies of Russian regions are advised to do the following:

• Continue work to equip facilities requiring guaranteed power-and-energy supplies with self-contained power-and-energy supply sources, as well as the required special-purpose equipment for restoring the power-and-energy supply to consumers, and monitor its uninterrupted operation;
• Take action in order to reduce consumers’ debts owed to resource-supplying organisations for consumed fuel-and-energy resources, and to prevent the accumulation of overdue debts;
• Inform the Ministry of Regional Development and the Ministry of Energy on the 2012-2013 heating season each month.

The Ministry of Defence (Sergei Shoigu), in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Regional Development, shall report to the Government each month on the repayment of Defence Ministry debts being owed for supplied fuel and energy resources and housing/municipal utilities services.

The Ministry of Regional Development (Igor Slyunyayev) and the Ministry of Energy (Alexander Novak) shall analyse the results of the current 2012-2013 heating season, including the effectiveness of regional executive bodies in this area, and its officials shall report to the Government in line with background materials for the May 30, 2013 Government meeting.

3. On amending the Federal Law “On the general principles of organising legislative (representative) and executive state-power bodies in the Russian Federation” and the Federal Law “On the general principles of organising local governments in the Russian Federation” as regards spreading the procedure to assess the regulatory impact on draft regulatory documents of regional state-power bodies and draft municipal regulatory documents, as well as expert examinations of current regulatory documents, in order to expose provisions that unjustifiably hamper entrepreneurial and investment activity

The Draft Federal Law stipulates the formalisation of the procedure to assess regulatory impact with regard to draft regulatory documents of regional state-power bodies and those of local governments, as well as the introduction of expert examinations of current regional and municipal regulatory documents.

The purpose of assessing regulatory impact is to expose the provisions of regulatory documents that introduce excessive duties, bans and restrictions for the parties to entrepreneurial and investment activity, or that facilitate their introduction, as well as provisions facilitating unjustified expenses of parties to entrepreneurial and business activity and regional budgets.

An expert examination of current regulatory documents regarding issues of conducting entrepreneurial and investment activity will be conducted in order to expose provisions that unjustifiably hamper entrepreneurial and investment activity.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Federal Law “On amending the Federal Law 'On the general principles of organising legislative (representative) and executive state-power bodies in the Russian Federation' ” and the Federal Law “On the general principles of organising local governments in the Russian Federation” regarding the spreading of the procedure to assess regulatory impact and to submit it to the State Duma in line with the established procedure.

4. On the procedure for assessing the regulatory impact of draft regulatory documents, draft amendments to draft federal laws and draft decisions of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission by federal executive bodies and on amending some acts of the Government

The Draft Resolution sets forth the relevant procedure for assessing regulatory impact, which will be conducted at an early stage of the law-making process by federal executive bodies responsible for drafting the relevant regulatory documents. At the same time, it is proposed that the Ministry of Economic Development prepare findings regarding the assessment of regulatory impact.

At the same time, the Draft Resolution expands the list of draft regulatory documents whose regulatory impact shall be assessed. It is proposed that draft documents regulating relations in the area of levying and collecting taxes and duties, relations arising during tax control, the appeal of acts of tax agencies, the actions/inaction of their officials, bringing the concerned officials to account for tax violations, as well as relations regarding rules and procedures for the regulation of customs activities, be included in the list.

In addition, the Draft Resolution proposes spreading the procedure for assessing regulatory impact on draft Government amendments to draft federal bills that have been submitted to the State Duma by the Government, and that regulate relations listed in the Government Regulations, as well as to the draft decisions of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

The Draft Resolution approves the Regulations for Assessing the Regulatory Impact of Draft Regulatory Documents, Draft Amendments to Draft Federal Laws and Draft Amendments to the Decisions of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission by Federal Executive Bodies.

It is proposed that information regarding the drafting of specific documents by federal executive bodies and the results of their public discussion be posted online on the official website regulation.gov.ru.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Resolution on this issue.

5. On the Draft Federal Law “On Amending Federal Law No 402-FZ, “On Accounting”, dated December 6, 2011

On February 1, 2012, the Russian Federation joined the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. This international document calls for establishing regulations that would hamper the creation of closed accounts, the conclusion and conduct of unregistered or dubious transactions, the registering of non-existent expenses and liabilities with the incorrect identification of their object, as well as the use of forged documents.

In this regard, the draft document stipulates amendments to the Federal law “On Accounting”, which would envision tougher measures in the area of accounting organisation. The draft document stipulates various requirements, including the non-acceptance of documents that formalise non-existent facts of economic life, dubious and black-market transactions for accounting purposes; the non-registration of dubious and black-market items of accounting in ledgers; measures to ban the keeping of accounts that circumvent accounting ledgers used by a legal party; and the compilation of accounting records only on the basis of data contained in accounting ledgers.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Federal Law, “On Amending Federal Law No. 402-FZ 'On Accounting'”, dated December 6, 2011, and to submit it to the State Duma in line with the established procedure.

6. On submitting a proposal on the ratification of the Cooperation Agreement on the Establishment of an Integrated Currency Market of Countries, Parties to the Commonwealth of Independent States, to the President for Ratification

The Draft Agreement was approved on May 30, 2012, in Ashgabat by a Decision of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The Draft Agreement stipulates the following terminology and conceptual framework: integrated currency market, resident bank, inter-bank conversion operations and competent agencies.

The Draft Agreement stipulates that each Party shall allow the resident banks of other Parties that have the right to conduct currency operations in line with their respective national legislation to access its national currency market for conducting inter-bank conversion operations in line with terms that are no less favourable than those being granted to the resident banks of this Party.

The Draft Agreement stipulates that a CIS agency ensuring the cooperation of CIS countries in the area of currency and finance shall coordinate the actions of competent agencies and shall also coordinate various requirements for the parties to the integrated currency market.

The Draft Agreement also stipulates that the provisions of this Agreement shall apply to banks that have been established, and that function on the basis of international treaties and agreements having been established by the states, parties to this Agreement, and that are permanently located in one state, party to this Agreement.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Resolution on this issue. 

7. On the allotment of federal budget subsidies being allocated to Russian regions for the support of projects making it possible to create information society in Russian regions throughout 2012

This Draft Resolution approves the allotment of subsidies after the examination of requests of Russian regions. Participants in a December 3, 2012, meeting of the Tenders Commission have selected 22 Russian regions.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Directive on this issue.

8. On the allotment of subsidies to regional budgets to support measures for balancing the budgets of Russian regions in 2012

It is proposed that the funding be allotted among 25 Russian regions in line with the Draft Executive Order.

The allotment of this funding has been examined and approved by the participants of a November 9, 2012, meeting of the Working Group to Improve Inter-Budget Relations.

With due consideration for the achieved results to expand the tax potential, it has been decided to issue the largest subsidies to the Primorye Territory (794.3 million roubles), the Krasnodar Territory (777.1 million roubles) and the Leningrad Region (687.4 million roubles). And it has been decided to issue the smallest subsidies to the Nizhny Novgorod Region (255.3 million roubles), the Omsk Region (244.8 million roubles) and the Tula Region (233.6 million roubles).

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Directive on this issue.

9. On the allotment of federal budget subsidies to regional budgets for the co-financing of expenditures of Russian regions to support agricultural production and the social infrastructure of the countryside in 2012

The Draft Directives approve the redistribution and allotment of subsidies in 2012 for the co-financing of expenditures of Russian regions.

Subsidies worth 14.8 million roubles, which have not been used by two regions, shall be redistributed to a project to facilitate expanded consultative assistance for agricultural producers. This funding shall be used to expand budget allocations to subsidise the spending of Russian regions to create and maintain long-term plantations.

Subsidies worth 255.6 million roubles shall be redistributed among regions for a project to create long-term plantations, including 22.4 million roubles’ worth of subsidies, which have not been used by nine regions, and 233.2 million roubles’ worth of surplus allocations being redistributed in line with other aspects of the State Programme. This is linked with an increase in the area of new long-term plantations, as well as with additional spending for these projects. The subsidies are issued to 31 regions, which have additional requirements.

Subsidies worth 218.4 million roubles, which have not been used by 46 regions, shall be redistributed for a project to compensate part of farm spending, including by self-employed business persons, during the formalisation of property deeds for land plots being used by them from among land plots in the farmland category. This funding shall be used to increase budget allocations, which are stipulated for the creation of long-term plantations and their maintenance.

Additional subsidies worth 2.3 billion roubles shall be allotted for a project to implement the Federal Targeted Programme “Social Development of the Countryside until 2013”, including:

• 700 million roubles after the redistribution of budget allocations in line with projects of the State Programme;
• 1.6 billion roubles after the allocation of additional federal budget funding in line with Federal Law “On the Federal Budget for 2012 and for the 2013-2014 Planning Period”.

This funding shall be spent on the following projects:

• Improving housing conditions of individuals living in the countryside, including young families and young specialists: 1.6 billion roubles;
• Expanding the rural gas pipeline network: 250 million roubles;
• Expanding the rural water supply network: 250 million roubles;
• Expanding the network of rural secondary education institutions: 170 million roubles;
• Expanding the network of cultural, leisure and recreation centres: 30 million roubles.

Government decision:

1. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of the 2012 federal budget subsidies to regional budgets to facilitate expanded consultative assistance for agricultural producers.

2. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of the 2012 federal budget subsidies to regional budgets in order to co-finance the expenses of regions to create and maintain long-term plantations.

3. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of the 2012 federal budget subsidies to regional budgets to compensate part of farm expenses, including self-employed business persons, during the formalisation of property deeds for land plots being used by them from among land plots in the farmland category.

4. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allocation of the 2012 federal budget subsidies being allotted to regional budgets for the co-financing of expenses of regions to implement regional projects of the Federal Targeted Programme “The Social Development of the Countryside until 2013”.

10. On adjusting the allotment of federal budget subsidies that are primarily managed by the Ministry of Regional Development to Russian regions for the co-financing of state-owned capital construction projects not listed in federal targeted programmes and being financed from regional budgets, and/or allocations for the issue of the relevant subsidies from regional budgets for the co-financing of municipal-owned capital construction projects not listed in federal targeted programmes and being financed from local budgets, in 2012 and during the 2013-2014 planning period

• The Draft Resolution stipulates the allocation of additional financial support to the budget of the Smolensk Region in 2012 for the co-financing of projects associated with preparations for and the organisation of celebrations of the 1,150^th anniversary of Smolensk: Upgrading of engineering-technical and municipal utilities mains, including repair and reconstruction projects: 288.2 million roubles;
• Relocation of tenants from rundown and dilapidated housing in Smolensk: 205.4 million roubles.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Resolution on this issue.

11. On adjusting the allotment of subsidies to the budgets of Russian regions in 2012 for overhauling hydro-technical facilities that are owned by Russian regions and municipal entities, as well as for overhauling unowned hydro-technical facilities and for dismantling unowned hydro-technical facilities during the implementation of the Federal Targeted Programme “Development of the Water Utilisation Sector in the Russian Federation in 2012-2020”

The Draft Directive proposes the reallocation of subsidies worth 183.1 million roubles being allotted in 2012 from the budgets of the Komi Republic, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Arkhangelsk Region, the Belgorod Region, the Kaluga Region, the Kemerovo Region, the Kirov Region, the Kursk Region, the Lipetsk Region, the Novgorod Region, the Pskov Region, the Ryazan Region, the Saratov Region, the Tyumen Region, the Ulyanovsk Region, the Yaroslavl Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, as there is no need to completely spend the maximum 2012 subsidy volumes, as well as from the budgets of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Ivanovo Region and the Tula Region, as their respective administrations have failed to submit well-substantiated proposals regarding the use of the maximum subsidy volumes in 2012.

It is proposed that the relevant maximum reallocated subsidy volumes be spent on completely overhauling hydro-technical facilities in the Republic of Tatarstan, the Karachayevo-Circassian Republic, the Republic of Mordovia, the Kurgan Region and the Novosibirsk Region, as well as on facilities with high cost-estimate levels. This will make it possible more quickly to commission these hydro-technical facilities. In addition, it is proposed that the relevant maximum subsidy volumes be spent on overhauling unowned and rundown hydro-technical facilities in the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania and the Volgograd Region.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Directive on this issue.

12. On adjusting the allotment of 2012 federal budget subventions to the budgets of Russian regions for implementing federal terms of reference that have been delegated to the regions, and that stipulate social security measures for disabled persons and specific categories of citizens from among veterans, in line with Government Executive Order No 2215-r dated December 8, 2011

The Draft Directive stipulates adjustments to subventions regarding the allotment of additional funding to 16 regions, which will spend these allocations on providing technical rehabilitation systems to about 253,000 disabled persons.

The Draft Directive has been compiled in execution of the Federal Law “On Amending the Federal Law 'On the Federal Budget for 2012 and the 2013-2014 Planning Period'”, which stipulates the allocation of 2,961.8 billion roubles to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for these purposes. 

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Directive on this issue.

13. On the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies to provide state support for specific public and other non-profit organisations, as well as national public organisations of disabled persons

Under the Draft Directive, it is intended to include 16 public and other non-profit organisations, whose activity is called upon to resolve social issues, to protect the rights and legitimate interests of specific categories of citizens, to train work-safety and social-relations specialists, to promote a healthy lifestyle and to ensure the rehabilitation and social inclusion of disabled persons, among recipients of subsidies. This list should also include four national organisations of disabled persons, namely, the All-Russian Society of Disabled Persons, the All-Russian Association of the Blind, the All-Russian Association of the Deaf, the All-Russian Organisation of Disabled Veterans of Afghanistan and War-Related Trauma Veterans.

Under the Federal Law “On the Federal Budget for 2013 and the 2014-2015 Planning Period”, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security shall receive 847.5 million roubles for state support of public and other non-profit organisations, as well as 1,282.5 billion roubles for state support of national public organisations of disabled persons.

The Ministry of Healthcare shall receive 272.7 million roubles’ worth of federal budget funding for state support of public and other non-profit organisations.

Government decision:

1. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies for state support of specific public and other non-profit organisations.

2. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies for state support of national public organisations of disabled persons.

3. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Maxim Topilin), in conjunction with the concerned federal executive bodies, shall assess the relevant procedure for providing state support to specific public and other non-profit organisations in the context of the most recent discussion, and they shall submit their proposals to the Government in May 2013 in line with the established procedure.

14. On the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies and subventions to regional budgets for implementing specific terms of reference in the area of social security and for reducing tensions on regional labour markets

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has submitted the following Draft Directives:

On the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies to regional budgets for the co-financing of  regional expenses arising during the calculation of monthly wages;

On the allotment of 2013 federal budget subventions to regional budgets for the purpose of implementing former federal terms of reference, which have been delegated to the regions in order to provide social security for disabled persons and specific categories of veterans;

On the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies to regional budgets for the implementation of additional projects to reduce tensions on regional labour markets.

1. Draft Directive on Monthly Wages

The volume of subsidies to any specific region is calculated in line with the average predicted monthly number of children in the region, in connection with the birth of whom, monthly payments are expected, and in line with wage volumes meeting regional subsistence minimum levels for children, with due consideration for estimated regional budget-provision levels.

The federal budget for 2013 and for the 2014-2015 planning period stipulates 3.66 billion roubles’ worth of funding for the above-mentioned purposes in 2013.

2. Draft Directive on Former Federal Terms of Reference, Which Have Been Delegated in Order to Ensure Social Security Measures

The federal budget for 2013 and for the 2014-2015 planning period stipulates 6,621.83 billion roubles’ worth of funding for these purposes in 2013.

3. Draft Directive on Labour Market Measures

The relevant subsidies shall be allotted for implementing the following additional projects:

• In all Russian regions, except Moscow and St Petersburg: To provide work for unemployed disabled persons at specially equipped work places (there are plans to allocate 873.3 million roubles for this purpose);
• In regions listed among territories with a tense labour market situation (1,017.5 billion roubles) for the following projects:
• Ahead-of-schedule professional training and advanced training of employees facing possible lay-offs;
• Advanced training of graduates of professional education institutions;
• Professional training and certification of individuals looking for jobs and wishing to obtain a document certifying their professional qualifications;
• On providing incentives to employers, in order for them to fill vacant positions with individuals from territories with a tense labour market situation;
• On providing work for unemployed individuals at additional jobs created by former unemployed individuals who have established their own businesses in line with regional programmes to reduce labour market tensions in previous years;
• On ensuring the employment of individuals living in Russian regions with a tense labour market situation, which are part of the North Caucasus Federal District, by the Inter-Regional Resource Centre, a state agency of the State Agency – Employment Service of the Stavropol Territory.

The federal budget for 2013 and the 2014-2015 planning period stipulates funding worth 1.89 billion roubles.

Government decision:

1. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of 2013 federal budget subsidies to Russian regional budgets for the co-financing of regional expenses arising during the calculation of monthly wages, as stipulated by Clause 2 of Presidential Executive Order No 606 “On measures to implement the demographic policy of the Russian Federation”, dated May 7, 2012.

2. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of 2013 federal budget subventions to Russian regional budgets for the purpose of implementing former federal terms of reference, which have been delegated to the regions, to provide social security for disabled persons and specific categories of veterans.

3. To approve the Draft Government Directive on the allotment of 2013 federal budget subventions to Russian regional budgets for the purpose of implementing additional projects to reduce tensions on the labour market in Russian regions.

15. On Amending the Statute of the Ministry of Finance

• The Draft Statute stipulates the following additional powers for the Ministry of Finance: To stipulate requirements for the volume of the compensation fund, depending on the total volume of obligations assumed by all members of the professional association of insurers regarding contracts for the compulsory insurance of carriers’ civil responsibility for inflicting harm, bodily harm, as well as harm to the health and property of passengers, as well as the procedure for forming and using the compensation fund for the compulsory insurance of carriers’ civil responsibility for inflicting harm, bodily harm, as well as harm to the health and property of passengers;
• To ensure the preliminary coordination of regulations of professional activity of insurers regarding compulsory insurance of carriers’ civil responsibility for inflicting harm, bodily harm, as well as harm to the health and property of passengers;
• To annually monitor insurance-premium rates being used in the compulsory insurance of carriers’ civil responsibility for inflicting harm, bodily harm, as well as harm to the health and property of passengers, their justification and to inform state agencies, local-government agencies and individuals about the results of monitoring surveys through the media and online.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Resolution on this issue.

16. On Amending the Statute of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service

The Draft Statute stipulates the following additional powers for the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service:

• To coordinate the stipulation by the national professional association of insurers responsible for insurance for the civil responsibility of motor vehicle owners with the relevant procedure for providing members of this association with compulsory insurance forms and forms used during insurance operations as part of international insurance systems, as well as amendments to this procedure;
• To coordinate the stipulation by the national professional association of insurers for compulsory insurance of carriers’ civil responsibility for inflicting harm, bodily harm, as well as harm to the health and property of passengers, of the relevant procedure for joining this association, withdrawing from it or being expelled from it.

Government decision:

To approve the Draft Government Resolution on this issue.