OREANDA-NEWS. December 21, 2012. Dmitry Medvedev: Colleagues. Today we will discuss several issues linked with previously adopted decisions, including a report on the implementation of measures set out in roadmaps to improve the business climate. I recall that this initiative, which was announced a year ago, is designed to improve the investment climate and to remove excessive restrictions and administrative barriers facing the business community. Roadmaps have so far been approved in five areas.

These areas are the issuing of construction permits, customs administration permits, export support permits, property registration permits and those which ensure easier access to infrastructure. Business leaders always say that these aspects are the ones that cause them the most problems. By 2018 the number of regulated procedures, stages, mutual approvals and all sorts of formalities usually addressed by the state must be significantly decreased.

The effectiveness of this work should be assessed by independent experts, which will help improve our positions in global ratings. As I have repeatedly said, we have started making some headway in this area. In some cases, movement is rather slow and in others we are moving slightly faster.

We are also making headway in construction, an important economic sector. However, many problems remain, including those linked with customs administration, although according to our sociologists 20% of respondents said that the time needed for customs clearance is falling. True, one in five, or even one in three people talk about the increased number of customs formalities. At any rate, this is what sociologists believe.

Executive bodies often adopt a formal approach to the implementation of these roadmaps, and this attitude has evoked justifiable criticism. It is important to understand that these roadmaps are not immune to change. They may be revised and supplemented. In any event, it is essential to use multi-level monitoring. I think this is a vital instrument for telling us what is going on. And most importantly, the implementation of these roadmaps should not be limited to ministerial offices or Government meetings.

The regions should become the main field of activity. Conditions of doing business often substantially differ from one region to another. In February 2012 we approved standards for the efforts of executive bodies to create an attractive investment climate. These standards have already been enforced in many regions. A number of regional governors are present at our meeting. We have invited Ulyanov Region Governor Sergei Morozov and Governor of the Republic of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov. I hope they will have their say as well.

The next issue concerns the adoption of the federal targeted programme for the development of the judiciary from 2013 to 2020. The implementation of the targeted programmes that were adopted for the 2002-2006 and 2007-2012 periods have raised the level of technical equipment of courts of law and, I hope, improved the quality of their performance.

The programme we are reviewing today should facilitate the resolution of the most urgent issues facing the judiciary. Its funding exceeds 90 billion roubles. Understandably, all of these funds are allocated from the federal budget. Three quarters of their amount will be spent on improving the material and technical base of the judiciary. By 2020 we are planning to provide all commercial courts with equipment for teleconferences, video recording and broadcasts. This should help courts of law to administer justice as openly as possible and enhance the independence of the judiciary. We want our companies to be willing to file suits within our jurisdiction rather than rushing to courts in foreign countries (the President has recently spoken about this in his address).

We have on our agenda very important amendments to some legislative acts on countering illegal financial transactions. We must curb the activities of fly-by-night companies that are out to legalise criminal revenues, fund terrorist operations, evade taxes and customs payments and launder bribes. The draft is fairly large. I looked through it again today. It contains amendments to most diverse legal acts. I hope these amendments will help improve control over these activities and confiscate the revenues received through economic crimes.

In general, these legal norms are aimed at creating responsibility for money laundering, that is, actions punishable by law in practically all countries. Needless to say, they should not affect law-abiding persons and corporate managers. It is important to maintain balance in this draft. However, in the final count, everything will become clear after it is enforced.

In line with the decisions of the Constitutional Court, we will eliminate different interpretations and gaps in the legislation on taxing individuals that have signed long-term voluntary life-insurance contracts. It is important to prevent dual taxation – that is, insurance contributions plus other insurance payments. This is what happened with the contracts of those who concluded them prior to 2008. Now, only other insurance payments will be taxed. Those who have already paid taxes on insurance contributions must be reimbursed.

And the last point I’d like to make in the beginning of our conversation. Working on the endorsement of priority state programmes, we should not forget those of them that are not on this list. We have agreed on this from the very beginning. Please note that they should be submitted to the Government no later than 20 January of the next year. But we’ll talk about this a bit later.

Okay, that’s it. Let’s get down to work. The first issue is on roadmaps. Mr Belousov, go ahead please.