The State Duma is set to discuss several draft laws during its plenary session, including the ratification of an agreement with Uzbekistan on customs services, the protocol for extending the transitional period of registration of medical products within the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), and a draft law on labor education.
The bill for ratification of the agreement between the governments of Russia and Uzbekistan on opening representative offices of their customs services was introduced to the State Duma by President Vladimir Putin on July 8. Under this agreement, the representative office of the customs service will undertake functions such as representing the interests of its state on customs regulation issues, facilitating customs cooperation between the countries, and participating in the implementation of international treaties related to customs affairs.
In regard to medical devices, the protocol on amendments to the agreement on common rules for the circulation of medical devices within the EEU proposes an extension of the deadline for filing applications for medical device registration according to the norms of EEU member states. This extension is aimed at preserving national registration systems for medical devices and mitigating the risk of a potential shortage of such products.
The protocol was signed by EEU member states on February 13, 2023, and serves as a supplement to the agreement on common principles and rules for the circulation of medical devices within the EEU. The agreement stipulates that medical devices put into circulation within the Union must undergo a uniform registration procedure. Moreover, medical devices registered according to national legislation norms may be circulated only within the territory of that specific state until the expiration of documents confirming their registration status.
Labor education
Another crucial matter on the agenda is the bill on compulsory involvement of schoolchildren in socially useful labor. Introduced by State Duma deputies, led by Olga Kazakova, Chairman of the Committee on Education, in May 2023, the bill has already passed its first reading in June. The proposed involvement of students in socially useful labor includes activities such as planting trees or flowers on school grounds, assisting with decorating classrooms or school grounds for events, and providing help in libraries or museums.
The second reading of the bill also introduces amendments to the Law on Education. One such amendment renames the school discipline "Health and Safety" to "Basics of Security and Defense of the Homeland." Additionally, the bill establishes that 11th-grade graduates who finish school with two "good" grades and the remaining "excellent" grades in their certificate will be awarded the "For Special Achievements in Learning" medal of the II degree, a silver medal.
Tax policy
The State Duma will consider a government bill on the implementation of specific provisions of the main directions of tax policy. One key aspect of this bill concerns taxation norms for individuals working from abroad. According to State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation Alexei Sazanov the document addresses the taxation of employees working remotely, including those under both employment contracts and contracts of a civil-law nature.
Regardless of their tax residency status, employees working remotely will be subject to personal income tax rates of 13-15%, as applicable to Russian tax residents. Sazanov emphasizes that clarifying the types of income for remote workers and applying a unified tax rate will greatly simplify the mechanism of tax administration for tax agents.
The bill also introduces electronic bank guarantees for VAT and excise tax refunds. Additional amendments, such as VAT exemption for tour operators in the sphere of domestic and inbound tourism, the possibility of transferring hydrocarbon areas with reserves of viscous and extra-viscous oil to the tax on additional income from 2024, and adjustments to the fuel damper from September 1 to the end of 2026, are also among the proposed changes. Moreover, the bill includes a 5% indexation of excise duties on alcohol, tobacco products, petrol, and other excisable goods.
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Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS