10 december 2008

Government meeting press release (December 10, 2008)

The Government of the Russian Federation at its meeting on December 10, 2008 adopted the following decisions on the items on its agenda.

1. The formation of the Government Commission on Sustained Development of the Russian Economy

The Government of the Russian Federation has instructed:

- To form a Government Commission on Sustained Development of the Russian Economy chaired by First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Igor Shuvalov. The Ministry of Economic Development shall within three days submit proposals on approving the statute and composition of the aforementioned Commission to the Government of the Russian Federation.

2. The distribution of subsidies among the budgets of the regions of the Russian Federation in support of measures to ensure balanced budgets of the regions in 2008

The meeting approved a draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation on the above issue.

3. The Distribution of Subsidies to Reform Regional and Municipal Finances in 2008

The meeting approved a draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation on the above issue.

4. The amounts of the issue of government securities in 2009

The meeting approved a draft executive order of the Government of the Russian Federation on the above issue.

5. Progress in fulfilling the instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of the automobile industry development

The Government of the Russian Federation has taken note of the report on the issue by Minister of Industry and Trade Victor Khristenko.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry of Finance have been instructed, together with the federal executive bodies and organisations concerned, to take the necessary measures, including organisational and personnel measures, to ensure unconditional fulfillment of earlier instructions from the Government in the field of the automobile industry with particular attention to:
- The development of the institutions of consumer credits and leasing in the industry as well as support of the export of its products;
- Implementation of measures to develop the automobile industry stipulated under the Action Plan and aimed at improving the situation in the financial sector and some sectors of the economy;
- Stimulating the renewal of the automobile fleet, including through differentiation of the rates of the transport tax and tariffs on compulsory insurance of civil liability of vehicle owners;
- Completing the list of scientific research projects in the field of the automobile industry that require government participation;
- Certification and assessment of vehicles' compliance with design and ecological safety requirements, as well as certification of test laboratories (centres);
- Adjustment of the rates of import customs duties on automobiles imported by natural persons;
- Adjustment of the schedule of repayment of the restructured arrears on taxes and levies into the federal budget and off-budget funds by organisations in the industry;
- Preservation of the human resources and social guarantees for the employees in the industry.

The results shall be reported to the Government before January 20, 2009.

The Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry for Emergency Situations, and the Ministry of Education and Science have been instructed, together with the Ministry of Finance, to identify the priorities in the government procurement of automobiles and submit the proposals on the quantities and timeframe of the purchase thereof in 2009 to the Government before December 13, 2008.

First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Igor Shuvalov shall consider the above proposals and report the results at the meeting at the office of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation on December 19, 2008.

6. The Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on Additional Measures of Government Support for Families with Children

The Government has approved the Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on Additional Measures of Government Support for Families with Children, envisaging that it covers the citizens who have entered into a loan contract to buy (build) housing with an organisation, including a lending organisation, prior to December 31, 2010, inclusive, and has instructed that it be introduced at the State Duma. The Government deems it practicable to introduce amendments to the Statute on the Ministry of Health and Social Development to vest it with the function of approving the Rules of filing an application to dispose of the whole (or part of) the mother's (family) capital.
The Ministry of Health and Social Development, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Justice have been given a week to submit to the Government the draft Government resolution on the issue.

7. The Draft Federal Laws On Introducing Amendments to the Budget Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Budget Code of the Russian Federation in regards to the Regulation of the Budgetary Process and the Harmonisation of Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation with the Budgetary Legislation of the Russian Federation and On Introducing Amendments to Article 284, Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and Article 2 of the Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Part 1 and Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation

The Government has approved the Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Budget Code of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Budget Code of the Russian Federation in regards to the Regulation of the Budgetary Process and the Harmonisation of Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation with the Budgetary Legislation of the Russian Federation, envisaging, if necessary, adjustments of the rules for granting subsidies to legal entities in the course of measures to support the financial market and sectors of the Russian economy. The draft law shall be introduced at the State Duma.

The meeting also approved the Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Article 284, Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and Article 2 of the Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Part 1 and Part 2 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation and Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation. The draft law shall be introduced at the State Duma.

8. The Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on the Federal Budget in 2009 and the Planning Period of 2010 and 2011

The Government has approved the draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on the Federal Budget in 2009 and the Planning Period of 2010 and 2011, envisaging detailing of the issues pertaining to the spending of the mother's (family) capital and the authority of the Finance Ministry to issue state guarantees of the Russian Federation. The draft law shall be introduced at the State Duma.

The Government has instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport, together with OAO RZhD, to study the issue of additional allocations to OAO RZhD in 2009 to compensate for the cost of subsidized railway fares for students. Proposals to the effect shall be submitted to the Government before February 20, 2009.

9. Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Articles 52 and 522 of the Law of the Russian Federation On Education

The Government has approved the Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Articles 52 and 522 of the Law of the Russian Federation On Education and has ordered its introduction at the State Duma.

10. The Draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on Additional Social Security for the Members of Flight Crews of Civil Aviation Aircraft

The Government has approved the Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law on Additional Social Security for the Members of Flight Crews of Civil Aviation Aircraft and has ordered its introduction at the State Duma.

11. The Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation to Enhance Control of the Turnover of Precursors of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances

The Government has approved the Draft Federal Law On Introducing Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation to Enhance Control of the Turnover of Precursors of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and has ordered its introduction at the State Duma.

12. The Draft Federal Law On the Ratification of the Agreement on Cooperation of Member-States of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Combating the Theft of Automobiles and Securing Their Recovery

The Government has approved the Draft Federal Law On the Ratification of the Agreement on Cooperation of Member-States of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Combating the Theft of Automobiles and Securing Their Recovery and has ordered its introduction at the State Duma.

13. The Draft Federal Law On Ratification of the Agreement Between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Procedure for Crossing the State Russian-Kazakhstan Border by the Inhabitants of Border Areas of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan

The Government has decided, in light of the discussion held at the meeting, to consider the issue at the next Government meeting.
The Federal Drug Control Service of Russia, together with the Foreign Ministry of Russia, Rosgranitsa, the Federal Customs Service of Russia, and Federal Security Service of Russia shall take additional measures to combat narcotics trafficking across the Russian-Kazakhstan state border.
Pursuant to earlier instructions, the results shall be reported to the Government in the first quarter of 2009.

14. Introducing amendments to the Statute on the Federal Tariff Service

The Government has approved a draft resolution on the above issue.

15. The participation of the Russian Federation in the Programme to combat the global food crisis and making the voluntary contribution in 2008-2010 to the Programme's multilateral trust fund under the auspices of the World Bank.

The Government has approved a draft resolution on the above issue.

16. The issue to the administration of the Sakhalin Region of government housing certificates to be distributed to the citizens who lost their housing in the Nevelsk District of the Sakhalin Region as a result of the earthquake on August 2, 2007.

The Government has approved a draft executive order on the above issue.

17. Introducing changes in the composition of the Presidium of the Government of the Russian Federation

The Government has approved a draft executive order on the above issue.

December 17, 2008
Moscow

*Decisions on the items on the agenda are made with due account of the remarks and proposals expressed at the Government meeting and are issued as official documents of the Government