Practices
Industries

The Bank of Russia’s Letter on Dividend Policy Was Published

29 February 2024
The website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation published Information Letter No. IN-02-28/9 dated 08 February 2024 “Information Letter of the Bank of Russia on Approaches to Determination and Disclosure of Dividend Policy (“Information Letter”). The Central Bank of the Russian Federation recommends that companies whose securities are admitted to organized trading (“PJSC”) develop and implement a transparent and understandable mechanism for determining the amount of dividends and their payment.

The Procedure for Carrying Out Deals with Companies of Strategic Importance May Be Changed

20 February 2024

On 16 February 2024, a draft law No. 554499-8 “On Amending Article 10 of the Federal Law ‘On the Procedure for Foreign Investments in Business Entities of Strategic Importance for Ensuring National Defense and State Security’” (the “Draft Law”) was submitted to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The Draft Law provides for assessment of the economic and social consequences of foreign investments in Russian business entities of strategic importance.

Exemptions for Intergroup Deals and Other Amendments to the Rules for Obtaining Permissions for Deals with “Unfriendly” Shareholders of Russian Companies

31 January 2024

Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 295 dated 6 March 2022, which establishes the general procedure for issuing permissions for deals prohibited by presidential decrees, was amended by Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 40 dated 22 January 2024 (“Resolution No. 40”).

The amendments concern the list of documents and information that should be submitted to the subcommission of the Government Commission for Control over Foreign Investments in the Russian Federation (“Commission”) to obtain permission for deals with securities (shares, contributions) of Russian legal entities.

The Central Bank of the Russian Federation May be Authorized to Restrict the Granting of Risky Mortgage Loans

30 January 2024

On 24 January 2024, the State Duma Committee for the Financial Market proposed to adopt for consideration Draft law № 531412-8 “On Amending Article 45-6 of the Federal Law "On the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia)"” (hereinafter - the “Draft law”).

The authors of the Draft law were a group of senators and deputies led by Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market.

The Draft law proposes to authorize the Bank of Russia to limit the share of loans secured by a pledge of buildings, structures, land plots, construction in progress, residential and non-residential premises and parts of buildings or structures (parking spaces) intended to accommodate vehicles.

The Draft Law on Consumer Market Researchers Was Adopted in the First Reading

26 January 2024

On 16 January 2024 the State Duma adopted in the first reading the draft law No. 412669-8 “On Amendments to Chapter 4 of the Federal Law “On the Basics of State Regulation of Trade Activities in the Russian Federation” (“Draft law”). The Draft law proposes to introduce a number of changes to the regulation of companies engaged in consumer market research, provided they receive revenue in the amount of more than 30 million rubles per year.

Decree On “Exchange of Blocked Assets” and Other Updates for Deals With Foreign Securities Has Been Signed

10 November 2023

Over the past two years, the number of arbitration disputes on the recovery of unjust enrichment from foreign IT-companies has increased significantly. For the period from 2022 to 2023, according to the Arbitration Case File, dozens of claims were filed by Russian legal entities against the largest foreign software manufacturers: IBM Eastern Europe/Asia LLC, Dell LLC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise LLC, and HP Inc LLC.