The Commission approved technical regulations for the safety of buildings and structures, the First Deputy Prime Minister told journalists after the meeting.

Mr Shuvalov noted that the technical regulations provide the basis for the construction industry. He said it had been prepared, had received all the approvals and would be discussed at a Government meeting by September 10.

Mr Shuvalov stressed that there are no conceptual objections at present to the draft federal law on technical regulations. He noted that during the parliamentary hearings and preliminary discussion of the draft law in various public forums more than 200 amendments had been introduced. "We have agreed that the Ministry of Regional Development together with the RUIE and other non-governmental builders' associations will conduct additional work before August 10 to see to what extent the amendments introduced meet the general expectations linked with the technical regulations for the safety of buildings and structures," Mr Shuvalov said. He added that the document would be submitted to the Government in late August.

Another set of technical rules, On Building Material Safety, is to be discussed this year, Mr Shuvalov said.