Gennady Seleznev on economic-reform bills

The State Duma passed a number of important economic-reform bills during its spring-time session. This was disclosed to reporters here today by house Speaker Gennady Seleznev at a press conference dealing with the results of the spring-time Duma session, which will also wound up today.

The State Duma examined and passed a number of important tax bills, which were submitted by the Government. These bills aim to reduce VAT (Value-Added Tax) rates, to change the gas-sector taxation system and to exempt some previously imported goods from customs duties. Yet another bill stipulates a new tax-code chapter, i.e. the one dealing with legal-entity property taxation.

The State Duma passed federal bills on reducing basic single social-tax rates and on adding a new version of a chapter that deals with the single agriculture tax to the tax code in the first reading. All these federal bills were suggested by the deputies themselves.

Moreover, a new federal bill "On Peasant (Farmer) Holdings" was okayed. Yet another bill expressly forbids regional energy commissions to exceed marginal yearly electricity-and-heat rates without the Federal energy commission's prior consent.

According to Seleznev, the State Duma devoted serious attention to legislative support for the incipient railroad-transport reform.

The bill "On Using Cash Registers During Cash Payments And/Or Credit-Card Payments" was passed once again and signed by the President of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Criminal Code now contains an amended provision stipulating tougher liability for copyright and affiliated-right violations.

The Russian tax code now contains yet another chapter dealing with a new taxation system during the fulfilment of product-sharing agreements.