The law on the elimination of duplicate business inspections
The State Duma has passed a bill to remove duplicate powers of enforcement and supervisory agencies in relation to businesses. The draft law was proposed by the government in November 2023, with a proposal to review 151 regulations under which the police and regulatory agencies can fine businesses simultaneously. According to the draft, the implementation of control measures for businesses remains the responsibility of relevant agencies.
As a result, 46 types of offenses were removed from the police’s jurisdiction. These include:
- Violations of the regulations for the transportation of hazardous materials
- Abuses of a dominant market position
- Infringements in the fields of property protection, environmental protection, agriculture, and entrepreneurship.
The remaining trains that are related to violations of the regulations will continue to be managed by the police and control authorities, as these trains require round-the-clock monitoring, the need for the use of force, or pose a significant threat to public safety, the lives and health of citizens.
It is assumed that law enforcement agencies will maintain the ability to institute administrative proceedings against individuals in accordance with these regulations. With respect to businesses, only relevant regulatory agencies will have this authority.
The draft legislation is a continuation of the reform of regulatory and supervisory activities, which envisions the introduction of a risk-based approach to business audits. Due to the use of this risk-based approach, inspections will be conducted only in cases where there is a risk of non-compliance with the law. In order for this system to function correctly, business controls should be conducted exclusively by relevant agencies.