Business programme
29 June–01 July 2022
10:00
29.06.2022
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
The Responsibility of Senior Executives in the New Reality
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
In an environment where sanctions and countermeasures are affecting the majority of Russian businesses, the responsibility attached to senior management has become an even more pressing issue to corporate lawyers. A wide range of issues needs to be addressed, including those related to sanctions compliance, the responsibility of company management to keep their business going in the new environment, and interaction with government bodies during inspections on how business support packages have been used. The responsibility attached to senior executives with regard to anti-sanction legislation: are there new roles, objectives, targets, etc.? The responsibility attached to senior executives with regard to keeping business going. How should work be structured in the new environment? What should be done to reconcile the clear economic steps taken by companies internally with the need to consider the challenges facing the country (such as maintaining production, avoiding job losses, etc.)? How should internal restructuring be linked to receiving support? What should be done to avoid risks during inspections by oversight and accounting bodies on the use of business incentives, subsidized loans, etc.?
Moderator
Alexandra Nesterenko
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Open Dialogue. On Legal Matters, Arising During Dispute Considerations Between Consumers and Providers of Financial Services
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
• Issues of legal qualification of the payment made by the insurer under the Mandatory Liability Insurance contract (OSAGO) in cash (insurance compensation or losses).
• Issues of in-kind compensation for various motor vehicle insurance products in the context of a spare parts shortage in the Russian market arising due to international economic sanctions.
• Issues of fulfillment of obligations by insurance companies under life investment insurance contracts in regards to payment of investment income.
• Issues arising during the consideration of disputes between consumers of financial services and credit institutions related to the return of fees (in whole or in part) paid by consumers for providing them with additional services in the conclusion of credit agreements.
• Novel appeals topics received by the Financial Ombudsman in relation to credit institutions due to changes in the economic situation in the country.
• Issues related to the peculiarities of interaction between the Financial Ombudsman Service, financial institutions, and consumers of financial services including the introduction of new and development of existing digital services aimed at simplifying the interaction with the Financial Ombudsman.
• Issues of in-kind compensation for various motor vehicle insurance products in the context of a spare parts shortage in the Russian market arising due to international economic sanctions.
• Issues of fulfillment of obligations by insurance companies under life investment insurance contracts in regards to payment of investment income.
• Issues arising during the consideration of disputes between consumers of financial services and credit institutions related to the return of fees (in whole or in part) paid by consumers for providing them with additional services in the conclusion of credit agreements.
• Novel appeals topics received by the Financial Ombudsman in relation to credit institutions due to changes in the economic situation in the country.
• Issues related to the peculiarities of interaction between the Financial Ombudsman Service, financial institutions, and consumers of financial services including the introduction of new and development of existing digital services aimed at simplifying the interaction with the Financial Ombudsman.
Moderator
Yury Voronin
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
The Fight against Information Crime: International Legal Tools
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
The booming electronic device market has changed the way we spend our leisure time and do business. Today, issues surrounding the protection of personal and confidential data are more important than ever before. And while IT and security systems continue to be developed, the number of cybercrimes is growing in tandem. How is cooperation between nations in efforts to counter cybercrime legally regulated around the world? What role do international organizations play in efforts to counter cybercrime? How can universal terminology in information and communications technology (and ICT security) help the international community prevent cybercrime? What are the main tools which can be employed to improve efforts to counter cybercrime?
Moderator
Boris Miroshnikov
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Our People are our Everything: Training and Development of Digital Economy and Cybersecurity Regulation Specialists
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
It is the task of the government to acknowledge and protect people’s digital rights from possible infringements, while upholding identity security, public safety, and state security as set out in legislation and the constitution. Most people deal with aspects to do with digital law in their day-to-day lives. However, when they enter a legal arrangement, they usually do so unconsciously, despite the fact that such arrangements concern a great many actions online, as well as the provision of digital services. Cybercrime, privacy infringements, and other issues are all on the rise as a result of many services and opportunities moving to the digital realm. It is therefore of great importance that efforts are made to educate people and raise awareness of digital law and digital transformation. In addition, lawyers need to be trained in issues surrounding IT.
Main topics for discussion:
• Tools to help educate people and raise awareness of digital rights and digital transformation. Tools to help train lawyers in IT-related issues.
• Building a pool of partner organizations to provide informational and organizational support in efforts to raise awareness of digital law in Russia.
• Organizing events where specialists and professionals can hold discussions in an attempt to identify new experts on the topic and to raise awareness of digital law.
• Training digital law specialists at universities and subsidizing study programmes.
• Raising awareness of institutions acting to protect digital rights (such as the Arbitration Court for Protecting Digital Rights operating under the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs).
• Training lawyers specializing in the digital realm and acting as a line of defence against cybercrime.
Main topics for discussion:
• Tools to help educate people and raise awareness of digital rights and digital transformation. Tools to help train lawyers in IT-related issues.
• Building a pool of partner organizations to provide informational and organizational support in efforts to raise awareness of digital law in Russia.
• Organizing events where specialists and professionals can hold discussions in an attempt to identify new experts on the topic and to raise awareness of digital law.
• Training digital law specialists at universities and subsidizing study programmes.
• Raising awareness of institutions acting to protect digital rights (such as the Arbitration Court for Protecting Digital Rights operating under the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs).
• Training lawyers specializing in the digital realm and acting as a line of defence against cybercrime.
Moderator
Olga Binda
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
The Development of Forms and Methods of Tax Control
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
Given the trend for reducing the number of on-site inspections, the main way of supplementing public coffers through tax administration has been through pre-inspection measures. However, there is no regulation underpinning the way these measures are undertaken. Similarly, there are no official requirements with regard to evidence of possible infringements. As a result, the potential for abuse and corruption exist. Pre-inspection control: is it possible to circumvent regulation in public law relationships? Incentives following pre-inspection analyses: ensuring that dialogue with the taxpayer does not turn into an instrument of pressure. A one-sided game: can a taxpayer be sure that the tax authorities will not reconsider their actions?
Moderator
Ksenia Litvinova
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Non-Profit Organizations: Trends in the Development of Legal Status and Regulation of Activities
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
Today, non-profit organizations make up a fast-growing sector, and play an important social and economic role in nation-building. And this is why the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation (the main body overseeing control and legal regulation of non-profits) is working constantly to improve legislation in this field, including through regularly analysing law-enforcement practice. This session will examine the most important issues related to the activities of non-profit organizations. These will include the following:
• New developments in civil law (the institution of personal funds, holding meetings of non-profit bodies using information technology, and the use of the word “Russia” and related terms in the names of religious organizations).
• The development of a new concept for improving corporate governance of non-profits, and the potential to implement it; the institution of mandatory pre-trial complaints to the central office of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in relation to decisions made by the ministry’s regional branches when providing state services.
• Interaction between the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia on matters concerning antimonopoly law violations involving non-profits.
• The potential for the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation to work with the academic community on matters concerning the activities of non-profit organizations.
• New developments in civil law (the institution of personal funds, holding meetings of non-profit bodies using information technology, and the use of the word “Russia” and related terms in the names of religious organizations).
• The development of a new concept for improving corporate governance of non-profits, and the potential to implement it; the institution of mandatory pre-trial complaints to the central office of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in relation to decisions made by the ministry’s regional branches when providing state services.
• Interaction between the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia on matters concerning antimonopoly law violations involving non-profits.
• The potential for the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation to work with the academic community on matters concerning the activities of non-profit organizations.
Moderator
Viktor Blazheyev
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Arbitrators: Who Are They? Constitution of Arbitral Tribunals in the Current Reality
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
One of the unconditional advantages of arbitration is the possibility for the disputing parties to choose decision-makers, taking into account their specialization, experience, and interests. At the same time, in today's realities the process of appointing arbitrators can be complicated by a number of factors. Those include the search for qualified professionals, the payment of fees, the need for fair trial guarantees, and the equal rights of both parties in the selection of arbitrators. The roundtable will discuss whether the restrictive measures being introduced today have had a destructive effect on arbitration in Russia and abroad? Or has the procedure for appointing arbitrators remained unchanged due to the special principles of arbitration and the supranational nature of this form of dispute resolution? The experts will also assess the soft ethical norms that currently exist and are being developed to guide arbitrators in exercising their powers in order to avoid violations of the fundamental principles of independence, impartiality, and equal treatment of the parties to a dispute.
Moderator
Mikhail Demin
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
A Concept for Securing the Rights and Freedoms of People in the Digital Realm
Congress Centre, conference hall E12
A draft concept for securing the rights and freedoms of people in Russia’s digital realm has been drawn up by the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights under the President of the Russian Federation in cooperation with the Government of the Russian Federation. The document was drafted in pursuance of the fourth item under clause 3 of the list of presidential directives No. Pr-133 dated 28 January 2021. It offers a response to challenges and threats to the rights and freedoms of the individual in relation to the complete digitalization of social relations. Today, the digital environment is highly complex, making it difficult to predict how it will develop. In spite of this, the digital realm in Russia has evolved at great speed. These factors have raised some concern among the human rights community. Indeed, digitalization processes are moving so rapidly that it can be hard for society, the public, businesses, and government bodies to keep up, leading to the creation of a rift. This gives rise to increased opportunities for fraud, corruption, and other crimes in the digital realm. It also enables transnational corporations that control global digital platforms to promote their own economic and political interests. The need to counter cyberthreats in the interests of national security is outlined in both the Russian constitution, and Russia’s strategic planning documents; however, these threats are not specified. What’s more, the aforementioned documents do not set out principles, goals, objectives, and mechanisms for ensuring the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in Russia’s digital realm. The proposed draft concept addresses these problems and can serve as a foundation for the further implementation of Russia’s legal policy with regard to digitalization.
Moderator
Valery Fadeev
29.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Legal Aspects in Relation to Urban Development: Tools to Regulate Infrastructure, the Economy, and the Social Sphere
Pavilion F, conference hall F1
The topic of spatial planning is receding more and more into the background. Discussions about comprehensive planning are also becoming less relevant. The Law on Strategic Planning needs to develop, especially in the face of changing geopolitical conditions. One can observe a strong tendency for more and more exceptions to be made to the general rule. The focus is shifting to the development of preferential regimes, which are being tasked with driving spatial development. Integrated spatial development has firmly established itself as the topic of the day. However, spatial regulation must not leave the urban context, outside spatial planning and the regulation of urban development. This raises many interconnected issues concerning how to deal with situations for which general regulations for spatial planning and urban zoning do not apply to local areas. How, then, can we balance development of varying scales – agglomerations, urban and local – when attracting investment? How can we ensure the integrated development of individual areas and the sustainable development of the city as a whole? What mechanisms and tools will be needed to accomplish the task? What role should local communities play in the process?
Moderator
Leonid Bandorin
12:00
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Cryptocurrencies and Their Place in the Economy of the Future
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
Over the course of the current year, regulation of cryptocurrencies has gone from a topic of discussion to the stage where specific proposals are being drafted. The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation has drawn up a draft bill and submitted it to the government for consideration. Meanwhile, regulation of cryptocurrencies continues to be discussed. What are the benefits of integrating digital currencies in the economy as a legal instrument? What can be done to ensure control and minimize risks during this process of integration? It is essential to develop a common approach for the government, business sector, and the public with regard to issuing digital currencies and operations involving them. Tools will also need to be developed to protect investors and the financial market from potential risks.
Moderator
Ivan Chebeskov
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Notary Participation in Corporate Governance: Do Businesses Need Notarial Protection?
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
As international experience has shown, notaries can play a vital role in protecting businesses when it comes to corporate relations. The mandatory notarization of decisions taken at limited liability company shareholder meetings which resulted in the redistribution of shares in their authorized capital has led to a number of positive outcomes. It has reduced the number of raids, eliminated fraudulent schemes, and made Russian companies more attractive to investors. Indeed, these and other benefits have led to the role of notaries expanding in corporate life. Today, they help formalize the departure of shareholders, formalize individual corporate decisions, certify convertible loan agreements, and more. Initiatives have been put forward to continue this trend with regard to corporate legal relations. These encompass the certification of decisions taken at meetings held remotely, and the introduction of a mandatory notarial form for decisions relating to changes to sole executive bodies. However, the introduction of binding rules regarding the mandatory notarial certification of certain procedures can in some cases make the process of corporate governance less flexible. What’s more, it generally contradicts the discretionary nature of how civil legal relations are regulated. What factors should legislators take into account when deciding whether to introduce mandatory notarial certification of corporate decisions?
Moderator
Viktor Blazheyev
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Tax Monitoring: Outcomes Seven Years on, and the Future Outlook
Congress Centre, conference hall B3
• Tax monitoring outcomes: the results after 7 years.
• Preparations for a tax monitoring transit: stages, tasks, costs.
• Key specifics for organizing the internal administration system during the transit to tax monitoring.
• New era in the digital interaction of tax authorities and taxpayers.
• Tax monitoring digitalization strategy and its development prospects for the coming years.
• New approach to tax administration automation.
• Tax monitoring as an impetus to improve technological maturity of business processes and accounting systems in a company.
• The role tax monitoring plays in a digital transformation of state management.
• Preparations for a tax monitoring transit: stages, tasks, costs.
• Key specifics for organizing the internal administration system during the transit to tax monitoring.
• New era in the digital interaction of tax authorities and taxpayers.
• Tax monitoring digitalization strategy and its development prospects for the coming years.
• New approach to tax administration automation.
• Tax monitoring as an impetus to improve technological maturity of business processes and accounting systems in a company.
• The role tax monitoring plays in a digital transformation of state management.
Moderator
Natalia Kovalenko
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
The Aesthetics of Legal Design: Current Achievements
Congress Centre, conference hall B4
Growth has been put under threat. Under the current sanctions, competition on the domestic market has intensified across a number of sectors, and the legal environment has become increasingly complicated. What can be done to make legalese understandable to the client, and promote the sale of a legal product? More than 90% of lawyers believe that good legal design can help increase earnings. What impact can legal design have on client loyalty, the speed of decision-making processes, and operational efficiency? What new opportunities are emerging for the B2C and G2B/C sectors during the current turbulence in the market? How does aesthetic design affect consumption, and can it serve as an additional factor for sales? What visual representations of complex information do businesses and users require? Who can act as a communicator between the state and users? What specific features characterize legal communication for Russian businesses in new markets? Do the content and style of a document have an effect on the decision a client ends up taking? How is legal design being implemented in Russia today?
Moderator
Maria Doroshenko
29.06.2022
12:15–13:15
12:15–13:15
Broadcast
Lecture by Valery Zorkin, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation Russian Law: Alternatives and Risks During a Global Crisis
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
The World Today and Human Rights in the Future
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
The pandemic of 2020–2022 and the Ukraine crisis of 2022 have highlighted the clear shortfalls of a unipolar world when it comes to ensuring global peace and sustainable development for all. It is evident that in the new geopolitical and legal reality, a unilateral reading of the rights and freedoms of the individual (both in terms of specifics and how they are generally characterized) cannot work. Indeed, attempts by the collective West to impose its interpretations on the entire world lead to socioeconomic crises with global implications. Current international institutions (such as the UN Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council, the G7, etc.) do not full reflect the diversity of cultural and spiritual values around the world. What’s more, they bear little relation to population distribution and the spread of economic resources. It has therefore become pertinent to consider a new model of individual rights and freedoms based on a plurality of approaches to subject matter and interpretation. Such an approach should still take into account the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, it should also encompass regional documents, such as the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, and the 2012 ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. This roundtable will focus on the main aspects of this new model.
Moderator
Valery Fadeev
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
The Russian Financial Market: What Lies Beyond the Horizon of Sanctions? (dialogue between the regulator and regulated)
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
The Russian financial market is currently attempting to adapt to the new reality. Familiar ways of interacting with global institutions have either already disappeared, or are doing do before our eyes. Demand for services inside Russia are also changing. The transformation of the financial market is already a tangible phenomenon, both in part, and as a whole. What can be done to ensure that this process goes as smoothly as possible, with minimal impact on the financial market, consumers of services, and society? When might this period of adaptation come to an end? What kind of market will emerge as a result, both in terms of quality, and framework? What legal mechanisms might be required to support the transition and to build this new framework?
Moderator
Alexey Guznov
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Legal Guarantees Ensuring Entrepreneurial Freedom
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
In light of the sanctions imposed on Russia, a range of steps needs to be taken to overcome current economic problems and to protect overall economic stability. The private and legal sectors in Russia have been allocated a special role in this regard. The country could respond to the economic storm by giving entrepreneurial initiatives as much freedom and support as possible, reducing red tape, and so on. How can the legal field positively impact entrepreneurial freedom in Russia and boost cooperation with other countries? What forms of legal protection have shown themselves to be most effective today? What steps related to the field of law need to be taken to strengthen the position of Russian business?
Moderator
Vladimir Gruzdev
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Land and Property Legislation
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
In the current time of rapid change, real estate is one of the most valuable private property assets that exists. Real estate encompasses aspects to do with public law, private law, and economic matters. As work continues apace to develop various spaces, it is becoming crucial to use land more efficiently and intensify land management processes. This can be done in part through land and property regulation. The current reality makes it essential to react on the spot and take instant action. Laws which meet the needs of society are required right now. What can be done to guarantee property rights? What new legislative developments will help make land and real estate procedures more accessible? What mechanisms and services will lead to improved access to housing and higher housing quality? How will efforts to process spatial data facilitate the rational use of real estate?
Moderator
Maksim Stepanov
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Driverless Vehicles: New Developments in Regulation
Pavilion F, conference hall F1
The digital development of the transportation industry would be impossible to imagine without the introduction of unmanned transport, which promises to improve the reliability and safety of transport, increase the country’s transit potential, and expand integration of the domestic transport industry into the global transport space. The rapid development of information technology and widespread automation call for radically new approaches to legal regulation in the transport sector. One of the key tasks in the development, introduction, and wide-spread application of all types of unmanned transport for passenger and freight transportation is to address technical, technological, and infrastructural issues while also creating a legal framework that takes into account the interests of federal executive authorities and transport organizations.
• Preparing the legal and regulatory framework for the introduction of autonomous maritime and river transport navigation – what else needs to be done?
• Legal regulation in the field of unmanned air transport: proposals and regulations adopted.
• What other steps need to be taken to get unmanned vehicles on public roads?
• Unmanned trains: the introduction and development of unmanned railways.
• Preparing the legal and regulatory framework for the introduction of autonomous maritime and river transport navigation – what else needs to be done?
• Legal regulation in the field of unmanned air transport: proposals and regulations adopted.
• What other steps need to be taken to get unmanned vehicles on public roads?
• Unmanned trains: the introduction and development of unmanned railways.
Moderator
Andrey Neznamov
29.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Peace and Law
Pavilion F, conference hall F3
This session will focus on the viability (or indeed, necessity) of reforming the current world order, and on Russia’s role in helping to shape a multipolar world order. This discussion will mark a new stage of interdisciplinary fundamental research of the state and law during this period of crisis facing civilization – a crisis which is set to go down in history as a struggle between the great powers. Consideration will be given to legal analyses of the laws, strategies, and doctrines of Russia, the US, China, the UK, Germany, France, the UN, NATO and the European Union. Participants will also examine work by leading Russian and international academics, experts, and politicians on a range of issues. These will include the world order, relations between members of the nuclear club, criticism of legislative expansion and legal intervention, cyber and technological security, and when politics takes precedence over law. Perspectives on the role and significance of law are predicated on attempts to find ways of overcoming the crisis facing civilization. The latest data is being employed to construct reasoned assessments and judgements on the facts and phenomena behind today’s global legal reality.
Moderator
Aleksandr Savenkov
29.06.2022
12:15–13:00
12:15–13:00
Broadcast
Foreign Agent: The Concept and Legislative Regulation of the Status
Презентация
Passage, Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation stand
The concept of a foreign agent was initially introduced into legislation in 2012. At first, the term was to be used for certain non-profit organizations. This step was taken due to the need to inform society about organizations conducting political activities while receiving funding from outside Russia. Later, the term was expanded to cover individuals and unregistered associations, as well as Russian and foreign legal entities. This was due to the fact that participation in political or outreach activities while receiving money and property from foreign sources was not restricted to non-profit organizations. This session will examine the following aspects in relation to foreign agents:
• Regulating the activities of foreign agents.
• The concept of a foreign agent and criteria for adding them to a register.
• Grounds for exempting an entity/individual from the register of foreign agents.
• The obligations of foreign agents.
• Restrictions applied to foreign agents.
• Liability for violating Russian law on foreign agents.
• Regulating the activities of foreign agents.
• The concept of a foreign agent and criteria for adding them to a register.
• Grounds for exempting an entity/individual from the register of foreign agents.
• The obligations of foreign agents.
• Restrictions applied to foreign agents.
• Liability for violating Russian law on foreign agents.
Moderator
Maria Butina
13:00
29.06.2022
13:15–14:45
13:15–14:45
Broadcast
The Right to a Decent Life: Issues of Adaptation for People in the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics
Passage, Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation stand
Moderator
Vladimir Pligin
14:00
29.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
A Subject, or an Algorithm? Legal Regulation of AI Systems
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
More and more, artificial intelligence is being used across an entire range of fields, including services, management, transport, and communications. Despite the fact that specialists do not consider these systems as particularly sophisticated versions of AI, they can still have a significant impact on individuals and groups. This in turn carries implications in relation to rights and responsibilities. As a result, there are numerous questions regarding how AI systems work, and how they should be regulated. Should AI be considered a legal subject? Who should assume responsibility for the actions of an AI system? Who owns the results of intellectual activity performed by AI? What can be done to ensure that AI is effectively regulated without hindering the development of new technology and the introduction of relevant technological solutions in areas of public life?
Moderator
Vadim Vinogradov
29.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Anti-Monopoly Legislation and Economic Support Under the Current Conditions
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
Under the current circumstances all branches of federal government need to react swiftly in order to mitigate the pressure from the economic sanctions and increase internal economic stability. Anti-monopoly agencies play an active role in supporting the economy in various ways, including by means of anti-monopoly regulation. For instance, in 2022 the Russian Federation introduced a number of legal initiatives, that permit parallel import. In particular, the Government of the Russian Federation was given the authority to establish a list of goods (groups of goods) in relation to which certain provisions of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation on protection of exclusive rights to the results of intellectual activity expressed in such goods and means of individualization, by which such goods are marked, cannot be applied, which gives prerequisites for development of parallel imports in Russia. In addition, as list of priority measures for the development of the Russian economy includes a proposal to introduce restrictions in terms of orientation to foreign currencies and foreign exchange indicators of the participants of the Russian commodity markets in determining the value of goods. Foreign jurisdictions, including the PRC and the EU, are also taking various measures to improve the effectiveness of antitrust enforcement under the current circumstances. During the session participants are invited to consider issues related to the development of competition, improvement of antimonopoly legislation and methods of antimonopoly regulation in the Russian Federation and abroad in the current economic environment.
Moderator
Sergey Puzyrevsky
29.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
SMEs: Finding a Legal Balance in Anti-Crisis Measures
Congress Centre, conference hall B4
The Russian government has taken a number of anti-crisis measures in the current period of structural change. These are helping to support small and medium-sized enterprises and prevent a major socioeconomic fallout. The success of the government in fulfilling its economic growth objectives and ensuring entrepreneurial freedom depends on these measures being sufficient and effective. The regulation put in place needs to guarantee equal legal opportunities for entrepreneurs to receive support upon encountering difficulties. Efforts are under way to restructure the economy and bring about a resurgence in economic activity. The speed at which this is done depends on the chosen areas of focus. Striking a balance between the interests of public law and investors when implementing anti-crisis measures. The role of anti-crisis measures in fostering an environment enabling SMEs to adapt to the new economic reality. Reducing legal risks for entrepreneurs: what steps need to be taken looking forward?
Moderator
Elina Sidorenko
29.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Relevant Issues Pertaining to Third-Party Funding in Court and Arbitration Proceedings
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
Litigation and arbitration third-party funding is becoming increasingly popular internationally: it allows parties who do not have the financial capacity to pay litigation and arbitration costs to exercise their right to judicial protection through recourse to a third party. Despite the obvious advantages, the provision of funding can be complicated by certain problems related to the complexity of obtaining and returning funds, the risks of conflicts of interest, acceptable forms of granting funds, etc. During the round table, experts will discuss the development and usage of third-party funding from different points of view: from the perspective of an arbitrator, a representative of a party, a public authority, as well as an arbitral institution. Such approach will diversify the discussion and allow the participants to form their own opinion on the future development of this institution. The speakers will also discuss the prospects of using third-party funding in the current economic situation, as well as possible problems and their solutions in the context of arbitration in Russia and abroad.
Moderator
Andrey Gorlenko
29.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Law and Order: Values and Principles Amidst the Global Challenges of Our Time
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
As the legal field continues to evolve, so legal values are changing over time. It is crucial to underscore the importance of law as a universal social regulator, and all the more so at this difficult time. Law and society are undergoing a transformation brought about by a multitude of factors and events. We are, to an extent, witnessing the disintegration of the international legal framework. This session will focus on identifying the legal guidelines and legal education fundamentals required to uphold stable legal systems and increase cooperation between countries on legal matters. What awaits the field of law and order in the immediate future? How can law act as a shield against global upheavals? What legal principles and values will society place at the fore in the future?
Moderator
Denis Smola
29.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Regulation of the Pharmaceutical Market: Law in Search of a Balance
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
Access to medication is a crucial aspect of public health, maintaining quality of life for patients, etc. And it is essential to ensure both availability and affordability. A range of legal tools have been employed to these ends. These include protecting intellectual property rights, price regulation for certain items, incentives for participating in government procurement schemes, and so on. The key legal issue in this regard is striking the right balance between the interests of various players in the market, while doing everything possible to meet societal needs.
• Ensuring access to medication: striking a balance between protecting intellectual property rights and meeting societal needs.
• Employing antimonopoly regulation as part of efforts to ensure availability of medication (registration of prices for vital and essential medicines, unscheduled inspections of business entities, amendments to rules underpinning government procurement procedures).
• Ensuring access to medication: striking a balance between protecting intellectual property rights and meeting societal needs.
• Employing antimonopoly regulation as part of efforts to ensure availability of medication (registration of prices for vital and essential medicines, unscheduled inspections of business entities, amendments to rules underpinning government procurement procedures).
Moderator
Konstantin Sharlovsky
15:00
29.06.2022
15:00–16:30
15:00–16:30
Broadcast
Genetics and Law: The Challenges of 2020–2030
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
Bioresource collections together with technologies for preservation and research thereof, form the foundation for bioeconomics, food security, and biosafety. Against the background of globalization and modern challenges, creating and preservating the unique genetic diversity of bioresource collections and biobanks becomes a task of paramount importance for fundamental science in various fields and industries. Achieving these goals is possible if the legal regulation of bioresource centers is improved. If accomplished, it will provide uniform rules and requirements for the formation of genetic resource collections, storage, and provision of samples in accordance with global standards, as well as for the creation of Russian bioinformation and genetic databases.
Moderator
Maria Vorontsova
16:00
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
Balancing Public and Private Interests Amidst Mutual Limitations
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
Mutual limitations pose an interesting question: can states, businesses, and citizens continue to rely on basic guarantees enshrined at the national and international legal levels, such as inviolability of property, fair trial, inviolability of contract, and freedom of economic activity? These and other principles have come to be considered the basics in the rule of law, a decision-making factor for investors and other stakeholders. However, restrictive measures, usually considered an exception, are now leaving less and less room for general rules, abolishing what was once regarded as immutable. At a time when restrictive measures are rapidly changing the content of the law, the state and law practitioners face the challenge of maintaining understandable rules for market participants: not necessarily the same as before, but stable, predictable, and realistic. In order to articulate these rules, it is necessary to evaluate the fundamental system of coordinates for the legal regulation of relations in the current new normality. What should this new system be guided by? What can be placed in its foundation? What constraints should ensure balanced regulation? Balancing public and private interests is a topic of legal debate that has been recurring from one era to another, each time with a new angle. The current galloping growth of reciprocal restrictive measures shows that it seems to be time to talk about this balance again.
Moderator
Vladislav Starzhenetsky
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
Protection of Consumer Rights in Modern Civil Transactions: Ways of Finding a Balance
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
• What can be done to protect the consumer as foreign companies withdraw from the market? What new challenges exist, and how should they be addressed?
• Unfair practices – what will change on 1 September 2022, and what are the implications of the amendments to the law on protecting consumer rights?
• Specific aspects related to federal state control (supervision) of consumer protection this year. What are consumers most dissatisfied with?
• Software products as technically sophisticated consumer goods. What should take precedence – intellectual property rights holders or consumers of digital content?
• Consumer litigation practice: key aspects.
• Unfair practices – what will change on 1 September 2022, and what are the implications of the amendments to the law on protecting consumer rights?
• Specific aspects related to federal state control (supervision) of consumer protection this year. What are consumers most dissatisfied with?
• Software products as technically sophisticated consumer goods. What should take precedence – intellectual property rights holders or consumers of digital content?
• Consumer litigation practice: key aspects.
Moderator
Alexey Bobrovsky
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
Defining the Boundaries of Crime as a Way to Decriminalize Economic Activity and Improve the Business Climate
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has set out official clarifications regarding tax infringements. However, in practice there is insufficient information to prevent unjust criminalization. Tax legislation is still full of ambiguities, omissions, and contradictions. It is also subject to constant change, and yet fails to take into account the many forms of doing business when it comes to the application of criminal law. Requirements set out in customs legislation are often not sufficiently clear and understandable. As a result, importers are left to take their own decisions regarding customs valuations or how to classify certain goods, thereby entering into a legal grey area. And with the transition to customs post-control, situations such as these are being encountered more and more frequently. Unlike the tax-related items included in article 194 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, there are virtually no official clarifications, leading to law enforcement bodies failing to distinguish between customs violations and crimes. As a result, there have been unjustified acts of criminalization in the field of customs. Economic-related disputes regarding the collection of taxes and customs duties therefore carry with them the tinge of criminality. This has a negative impact on the business climate in Russia, and makes entrepreneurs feel that their rights are not necessarily guaranteed. Meanwhile, law-enforcement bodies end up making unjustified intrusions into the way companies operate and how government control is undertaken. The initiation of proceedings under article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation has become a commonplace method of coercing entrepreneurs to fulfil their obligations. It is also used as a means of conducting raids – something which is a genuine scourge that hinders business while having nothing to do with the objectives of criminal law.
• Factoring in the danger to the public as a key criterion when defining criminal behaviour.
• Identifying the boundaries between crimes, administrative violations, and civil tort cases, with the aim of clearly demarcating one from another.
• Methods of differentiation: legal clarifications and official explanations.
• Factoring in the danger to the public as a key criterion when defining criminal behaviour.
• Identifying the boundaries between crimes, administrative violations, and civil tort cases, with the aim of clearly demarcating one from another.
• Methods of differentiation: legal clarifications and official explanations.
Moderator
Vadim Zaripov
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
Logic and the Strategy of Lawmaking
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
The rapidly changing living conditions are facing Russia today with tasks involved in minimizing crisis consequences in order to respond promptly and effectively to the changes taking place, including by improving society’s legislative framework. During discussions of the pressing problems, strategy and prospects for developing modern Russian law-making, it is proposed to look at questions associated with the basic principles and actual organization of the law-making process, determination of the most effective methods and counter-crisis aspects of its implementation both as a whole and in individual spheres of law enforcement, improved law making, and the role of special legal regimes as a means for responding rapidly to modern challenges. In addition, also proposed for discussion are the limits to legal regulation, the corelation between federal and regional legislation, and legal succession of historical, geopolitical and moral values themselves.
Moderator
Andrey Loginov
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
Force Majeure and the Inability to Fulfil Obligations in the Context of Sanctions
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
In light of the current sanctions, legal issues related to fulfilling contractual obligations have become a major topic of discussion across various levels. A number of aspects have become particularly pressing. These include determining when obligations can no longer be fulfilled, when to exempt a party from liability for not fulfilling their obligations, and freeing a party from an obligation. This discussion will focus on current legislative solutions which were drafted to address these issues, as well as on their practical implementation, including with regard to the pandemic.
• Agreeing on concepts such as force majeure, impossibility of performance, and substantive change of circumstances.
• Rules governing exemption from liability in relation to force majeure events and termination of obligations due to impossibility of performance.
• Force majeure invoked by the debtor as a justification for being exempt from liability.
• Force majeure and monetary liability.
• The right to withdraw from a contract due to force majeure events.
• Impossibility of performance: can parties assume such a risk in advance?
• Agreeing on concepts such as force majeure, impossibility of performance, and substantive change of circumstances.
• Rules governing exemption from liability in relation to force majeure events and termination of obligations due to impossibility of performance.
• Force majeure invoked by the debtor as a justification for being exempt from liability.
• Force majeure and monetary liability.
• The right to withdraw from a contract due to force majeure events.
• Impossibility of performance: can parties assume such a risk in advance?
Moderator
Dmitriy Dozhdev
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
Your Data Please: Legal Regulation of Databases
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
In order for Russia to undergo a successful digital transformation, more work needs to be done with big data, and artificial intelligence technology needs to be employed. Digitalization is an immensely broad topic, covering all areas of life, with law being no exception. The amount of data being processed is constantly growing – a fact not lost on the private or public sector. At the same time, the threat of data leaks and human rights violations remains. This session will focus on bringing information security requirements up to date, improving ways in which data is processed, developing a special regime for using anonymized data, and more. What developments can we expect to see in the foreseeable future with regard to legal regulation, and what will be done to improve data processing? What is the most effective approach to protecting personal data? What is the potential of data sets for the state and big data for the private sector?
Moderator
Vladimir Pligin
29.06.2022
16:45–18:15
16:45–18:15
Broadcast
The Digitalization of Justice: Problems and Prospects
Pavilion F, conference hall F1
The pandemic has given a new boost to digital transformation across all areas of society. And justice is no exception. At the same time, there are numerous options when it comes to implementing modern technologies in the courts, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. A degree of experience has already been amassed in the administration of online justice. With this in mind, it is a fitting moment to discuss the problems which have accumulated, as well as future prospects. What can be done to strike a balance between the right to physically and remotely attend court sessions? What can be done to ensure the security and authenticity of transmitted data? What steps can be taken to prevent the substitution of participants through deepfake-style technologies? Does transnational participation violate national sovereignty, and is it possible to move international cooperation in justice online?
Moderator
Dmitry Ter-Stepanov
29.06.2022
16:45–17:45
16:45–17:45
Broadcast
Interactive Discussion ‘The Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Control and Supervisory Activities of Rosselkhoznadzor’
Passage, Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation stand
No need to wait for global digital surveillance to hit the food sector – it’s already here. Rosselkhoznadzor has been preparing to transition to a digital system for more than 10 years and now possesses all the unique tools necessary to begin: 11 information systems, analytical modules, and an AI model recognised by the OECD as an outstanding global example of innovative development. Rosselkhoznadzor is applying technical solutions to create a global information environment that makes the processes of production, turnover, and the verification of quality and safety of agricultural products absolutely transparent according to the ‘field to market’ principle recognised in the developed world. The agency has automated process for identifying unscrupulous business and high-complexity schemes aimed at defrauding consumers. The point at issue is the introduction of an online service that allows customers to choose a product on the basis of the status and reliability of its manufacturer. The only question that remains unresolved is how to ensure effective regulation of the AI systems without creating barriers to their introduction into public and government life.
Moderator
Pavel Poteev
08:00
30.06.2022
30.06.2022
08:30–09:30
08:30–09:30
Broadcast
The Russian Model of Business and Government Interaction: Historical Experience and Future Outlook
Юридический завтрак в рамках ПМЮФ-2022
The event will be broadcast on the Pravo.ru website
ExpoForum, Shushary, Petersburg highway, 62, building 1, conference hall 7, Hilton
On 30 July, a legal breakfast entitled ‘The Russian Model of Business and Government Interaction: Historical Experience and Future Outlook” will be held as part of SPILF. Taking part are: Pavel Krasheninnikov, Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on State Building and Legislation; Vladimir Gruzdev, Chairman of the Board, Association of Lawyers of Russia; Andrei Nazarov, Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan; members of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, and leading lawyers among others. Boris Boltyanskiy, Editor-in-Chief, Pravo.ru, will be moderating. The breakfast will discuss the development of business culture and national jurisdiction, as well as relations between government and business. Particular attention will be given to improving legislation and tools for state regulation that could have a noticeable impact on economic growth in the short term. In the context of current economic and political challenges, the relationship between government and business is undergoing significant transformation, particularly in the legal system regulating these relations. How should the transition from anti-crisis policy to development policy be legislated in the context of sanctions pressure? What unique features define the legal protection of businesses from external threats? Can the evolution of an independent national jurisdiction be viewed as a competitive advantage for Russian business? What is special about the Russian model of interaction between business and government? Is sanction law a contemporary phenomenon in the context of the antagonism of the processes of globalization and state identity? What are the prospects for the contemporary legal services market? Such questions are of vital public interest in Russia.
Organizers of the Legal Breakfast: Association of Lawyers of Russia, Pravo.ru
Organizers of the Legal Breakfast: Association of Lawyers of Russia, Pravo.ru
Moderator
Alexander Tsypkin
10:00
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
The Digital Transformation of Judicial Enforcement
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
Modern life would be unthinkable without the active use of information technology. It is no different for the public authorities, whose most important tool for increasing efficiency is the digitalization of internal management processes and external interaction. In accordance with the national development goals of the Russian Federation for the period until 2030, as defined by the President of the Russian Federation, the Federal Bailiff Service shall seek to actively introduce information technology to its operations. The digitalization of enforcement is a recognised international trend and an objective necessity in current realities. The digital transformation of enforcement is a priority for the Service and is aimed at expanding the scope and ways of keeping the parties to enforcement proceedings informed and introducing the concept of openness to the activities of the enforcement authorities.
• Primary achievements in the automation of business processes in enforcement.
• Automation of the process, a ‘registry model’ for the execution of enforcement documents.
• Prospects for improving the legal and regulatory framework supporting digital inclusion.
• The automated processing of large volumes of information that is submitted in the course of enforcement proceedings and ensuring prompt interaction on the part of the bailiff with the parties to the enforcement proceedings and with public authorities.
• The activities of professional debt collectors: current status and priorities for development.
• Primary achievements in the automation of business processes in enforcement.
• Automation of the process, a ‘registry model’ for the execution of enforcement documents.
• Prospects for improving the legal and regulatory framework supporting digital inclusion.
• The automated processing of large volumes of information that is submitted in the course of enforcement proceedings and ensuring prompt interaction on the part of the bailiff with the parties to the enforcement proceedings and with public authorities.
• The activities of professional debt collectors: current status and priorities for development.
Moderator
Vladimir Gureev
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Anti-Corruption Compliance in the Context of Economic Sanctions
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
The global economic sanctions imposed on Russian businesses pose a number of challenges, including with regard to anti-corruption compliance. This session will focus on a range of aspects related to minimizing any possible negative impact experienced by Russian businesses:
• Anti-corruption compliance as a means of minimizing risk in the context of economic sanctions.
• The government’s role in building and implementing an anti-corruption compliance system for organizations.
• Raising awareness in the private sector of matters to do with tackling corruption in the new reality, and the need to do so.
• Digital transformation as assisting in anti-corruption compliance.
• Best practices in anti-corruption compliance in the context of economic sanctions.
• The need to include a sanctions-related clause in contracts (articles 406.1 and 431.2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).
• Anti-corruption compliance as a means of minimizing risk in the context of economic sanctions.
• The government’s role in building and implementing an anti-corruption compliance system for organizations.
• Raising awareness in the private sector of matters to do with tackling corruption in the new reality, and the need to do so.
• Digital transformation as assisting in anti-corruption compliance.
• Best practices in anti-corruption compliance in the context of economic sanctions.
• The need to include a sanctions-related clause in contracts (articles 406.1 and 431.2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).
Moderator
Vitaly Belinsky
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Inheritance Law: Balancing the Interests of Society and the Bequeather
Congress Centre, conference hall B3
The development of inheritance law in Russia is invariably linked to efforts to address social issues, namely, ensuring that an inheritance can support those who are unable to work, and who depended on the bequeather during their lifetime. If a will excludes someone who may have counted on receiving an inheritance, then regardless of the bequeather’s wishes, their dependant has a right to a share of the bequest. And in instances where the bequeather did not make a will, this social role is performed by an institution. Even the institution responsible for overseeing all stages of inheritance is required by law to describe its social role. The socioeconomic upheaval which began in Russia in the late 1980s, coupled with a growing sense of individualism among economically active citizens contributed to a re-examination of inheritance law’s social role. It was against this backdrop that the legislator saw fit to change rules in inheritance law covering mandatory shares (part 5, article 1,149 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). Meanwhile, the academic community is continuing to critically discuss the size and nature of so-called social payments from bequests. However, the importance of inheritance law not only stems from the desire of a person to pass on their material wealth to their descendants and to provide for family members in need. Inheritance law also helps ensure that the person’s wishes are fulfilled after their life has ended. This is done through inheritance contracts and inheritance funds. Inheritance encompasses a number of factors in the public consciousness. These include transferring material wealth to descendants, supporting dependants, and exerting a posthumous influence on the behaviour of loved ones and on what happens to a person’s assets.
Moderator
Pavel Krasheninnikov
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Corporate Governance: Responding to the Challenges Posed by Sanctions
Congress Centre, conference hall B4
The recent sanctions have highlighted like never before the importance of making the current legal regime more business friendly. In the pre-sanction era, any genuinely major initiative would be underpinned by foreign law. That was the case even if all parties involved were resident in Russia. This was due to the greater flexibility, lower costs, and better predictability that such an approach offered. However, this option is no longer available to Russian businesses, as any move to transfer an initiative to foreign legal entities would incur an additional risk. This is not to mention the ever-growing difficulties faced by Russian residents when it comes to opening businesses and maintaining accounts abroad, amongst others.
• Regulation affecting the acquisition of large blocks of shares in public joint stock companies: targeted reforms.
• Golden shares: an obsolete instrument, or a necessity?
• The reorganization of business entities: a useful tool helping businesses adapt to a crisis.
• Regulation affecting the acquisition of large blocks of shares in public joint stock companies: targeted reforms.
• Golden shares: an obsolete instrument, or a necessity?
• The reorganization of business entities: a useful tool helping businesses adapt to a crisis.
Moderator
Ilya Bolotnov
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Investment Projects in an Era of Turbulence: Effective Models and Legal Protection Mechanisms
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
Despite the economic changes in Russia, the need to implement large-scale investment projects remains. Mechanisms for implementing such projects are developing (concession, PPP) and new ones are appearing and are being prioritized (offset). Moreover, now it is important to maintain the stability of already launched long-term projects. Law practitioners in the investment sphere have developed tools that can be used to stabilize the deal for both private and public parties.
• Feasible mechanisms for implementing investment projects: from offsets to PPPs
• What investment tools and mechanisms do the regions need? Where can they get the money?
• Moscow's experience in implementing investment projects (offsets, Life-Cycle Contract, Special Investment Contract)
• Guarantees of rights and legitimate interests of the investor, as stipulated by law and the agreement
• Can there be guarantees of rights for the public party, etc.
• Feasible mechanisms for implementing investment projects: from offsets to PPPs
• What investment tools and mechanisms do the regions need? Where can they get the money?
• Moscow's experience in implementing investment projects (offsets, Life-Cycle Contract, Special Investment Contract)
• Guarantees of rights and legitimate interests of the investor, as stipulated by law and the agreement
• Can there be guarantees of rights for the public party, etc.
Moderator
Evgenia Zusman
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Protecting the Rights of Financial Consumers and Retail Investors: Striking a Balance
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
The Russian financial market is experiencing significant problems as it traverses the difficult path of adapting to new internal and external factors. Risks which may – or indeed, have – come to pass are affecting the financial figures of individual organizations and the sector as a whole. What’s more, they are affecting how well the market performs its main task – transforming savings and excess liquidity into investment in the real economy. In this environment, there is a great temptation to shift a number of problems onto the least-protected participants of the financial market, such as consumers of financial services, SMEs, and retail investors.
Moderator
Alexey Guznov
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Protecting the Rights of Compatriots: Maintaining Contact with Russia
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
Around 30 million Russians are living abroad today. Many of these people are in need of assistance, given the current unprecedented environment of persecution and discrimination on national, cultural, and other grounds. What measures should be taken to protect Russians abroad? What needs to be done to ensure that animosity and discrimination does not become an ideological norm? How can the law be used to combat chauvinistic behaviour towards Russians?
Moderator
Sergey Stepashin
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Pivot East: Legal Support for Mutual Investments
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
In 2021, Russia increased its trade with China and South Korea more than any other country save one. Trade between China and Russia was valued at USD 146.887 billion – a 35.8% increase compared to the year before. And in the first 9 months of 2021 alone, trade with South Korea grew by 60%, reaching a record USD 30 billion by the end of the year. In 2019, Russia was named one of the ten leading countries in EY’s European Attractiveness Survey, resulting in a 3.5-fold growth in direct investment in Russia. This trend continued in 2021, with direct investment in Russian companies reaching USD 30.7 billion – a 3.8-fold increase. Over the last few years, Russia has done much to expand cooperation with its eastern neighbours. There are numerous examples of significant investment projects which have benefitted from government support from the three nations. And in light of the current situation, Russia has every chance to boost cooperation with China and South Korea in 2022.
• Legal regulation of foreign investment in Russia. Current mechanisms and new initiatives by the Russian government.
• Sanctions and their impact on the investment climate: restrictive measures, or new opportunities?
• Financial settlements and currency restrictions: to what degree are these factors critical with regard to investment, imports, and exports? What are the prospects for making transactions in national currencies?
• Legal guarantees and protecting the interests of foreign businesses in an era of change.
• Legal regulation of foreign investment in Russia. Current mechanisms and new initiatives by the Russian government.
• Sanctions and their impact on the investment climate: restrictive measures, or new opportunities?
• Financial settlements and currency restrictions: to what degree are these factors critical with regard to investment, imports, and exports? What are the prospects for making transactions in national currencies?
• Legal guarantees and protecting the interests of foreign businesses in an era of change.
Moderator
Rustem Akhmetshin
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Legal Guidelines in the Digitalization of Healthcare: Availability of Medical Data as a Tool for Achieving Social Objectives
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
Digitalization in healthcare has become an increasingly important topic. The past 10–15 years have seen an increase in the quantity of large datasets being amassed. However, a number of issues regarding access to medical data remain unresolved. This session will focus on issues surrounding the processing of medical data, and approaches to reforming current regulation based on best international practices.
• The current state of digitalization in healthcare: possessing large datasets while being unable to access them.
• Collecting data from wearable devices for diagnostic purposes: the potential to use data, the quality of said data, and barriers.
• Legal issues stemming from regulation covering digitalization in healthcare: lack of access to IT systems, processing data, and validating data.
• Artificial intelligence in healthcare. Trends in the improvement of consent processes. The development of effective methods of anonymizing personal data.
• Validating large datasets: can all data be used, or should it be selected?
• Practical examples of AI technology being employed in healthcare: experimental legal regimes.
• The current state of digitalization in healthcare: possessing large datasets while being unable to access them.
• Collecting data from wearable devices for diagnostic purposes: the potential to use data, the quality of said data, and barriers.
• Legal issues stemming from regulation covering digitalization in healthcare: lack of access to IT systems, processing data, and validating data.
• Artificial intelligence in healthcare. Trends in the improvement of consent processes. The development of effective methods of anonymizing personal data.
• Validating large datasets: can all data be used, or should it be selected?
• Practical examples of AI technology being employed in healthcare: experimental legal regimes.
Moderator
Vitaliy Omelyanovskiy
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Social Entrepreneurship: Prospects for Legal Regulation
Pavilion F, conference hall F1
Social entrepreneurship plays an integral role in the socioeconomic development of a society. It contributes to the creation of a positive environment, fosters innovation, and supports public solidarity. This can all help put the necessary prerequisites in place to alleviate the consequences of the crisis. Given the impact that social entrepreneurship has on addressing key social issues during a crisis, it is crucial to take the steps needed to further foster it in Russia.
• How is the concept of social entrepreneurship in Russia understood (defining and identifying the criteria of social entrepreneurship)?
• Financing tools for social projects.
• What forms of support for social entrepreneurship need to be put in place?
• How is the concept of social entrepreneurship in Russia understood (defining and identifying the criteria of social entrepreneurship)?
• Financing tools for social projects.
• What forms of support for social entrepreneurship need to be put in place?
Moderator
Tatiana Medvedeva
30.06.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Philosophy and Law
Pavilion F, conference hall F3
Russian philosophy of law is needed today like never before, and stands on par with its foreign counterparts. In modern society, the link between law and other social phenomena (including material and psychological factors) is clear to see. A break in this link can lead to the devaluation of law and legal nihilism. This in turn can increase tension in society and cause a rupture in socioeconomic relations. It is essential to examine a variety of topics in the context of general ideas covering the development of law, legal awareness, and legal thinking. Doing so can lead to a deep understanding of the processes taking place in today’s world. This session will focus on academic opinions and creative perspectives on the role and significance of philosophy of law as it pertains to social and humanitarian knowledge. It will also examine assessments and judgments concerning today’s global legal reality. In addition, participants will aim to reach an understanding of the development of modern civilization, the evolution of public and legal institutions, and philosophy of law in today’s world.
Moderator
Aleksandr Savenkov
11:00
30.06.2022
11:30–12:00
11:30–12:00
Broadcast
Nuremberg: Verdict in the Name of Peace (Exhibition)
Passage, Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation stand
The 20th century, more than any other, was marked by significant events that shaped the fate of humanity for many years hence. These included the Russian Revolution, two world wars, and the Manhattan Project, which resulted in the US dropping atomic bombs on Japan. It is the only time in history that nuclear weapons have been used indiscriminately on a civilian population. All these events occurred before the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, which tried the Axis powers’ biggest Nazi war criminals. Today, more than seven decades on, a feeling of pride remains for the fact that civilization was capable of not only changing international law, but the entire world through the prohibition of aggression. This exhibition marks a first in Russian academic history by presenting and analysing the outcome of many years of fundamental academic research on the structure, content, and new legal developments to have emerged from the Nuremberg Trials. It also examines underlying legal theories and concepts by leading Soviet and international legal scholars, as well as various regulatory documents and materials to have emerged over the course of more than fifty years. The exhibition will feature the official text of the International Military Tribunal verdict. The exhibition has been designed for a wide audience, including government figures, community leaders, judges, people working at investigative bodies, researchers, university lecturers, representatives of government bodies, and people from local government departments. It will also be of interest to all those who care about the fate of the world, and who wish to learn the truth about the legal outcomes of the Second World War and the verdict that preserves peace on the planet. A number of talks given at a roundtable offer a full picture of the Nuremberg Trials, both by providing a formal legal assessment of their outcome, and by examining their impact on the development of international law.
12:00
30.06.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Law in a Multipolar World
Congress Centre, Congress Hall
Moderator
Alexandra Suvorova
14:00
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Taking Care of Our Own: Legal Protection of Russian Businesses Abroad
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
Russian entrepreneurs doing business abroad have recently encountered a number of issues. These range from a corrosion of their rights to various forms of discrimination and the removal of entrepreneurial freedoms. A number of countries have taken political decisions which disregard established legal boundaries. What forms of legal protection do Russian entrepreneurs have recourse to? What countermeasures should be taken? What can be done to tackle discrimination faced by Russian businesses?
Moderator
Vladimir Pligin
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Legal Sovereignty as a Guarantee of National Security
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
Russia’s legal system is key to its statehood, founded as it is on traditional values and long-established concepts and principles. And in the face of global challenges and sanctions, the legal field has been tasked with identifying the answers to today’s difficult questions. A country’s sovereignty is not only based on political and economic principles, but legal ones as well. How can legal sovereignty help guarantee national security? What threats require action now? How will legal systems look in the near future?
Moderator
Vladimir Gruzdev
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Russia and Eurasia: A Shared Patent Space
Congress Centre, conference hall B3
In Eurasia, aspects related to intellectual property encompass both national and regional elements. In Russia, intellectual property is not only regulated by national legislation, but also by a number of international agreements. The development of regional registration systems has been a major achievement, since protection can now be obtained faster, more cheaply, and more easily across a number of countries simultaneously. However, there is still a wealth of untapped potential when it comes to using intellectual property to foster socioeconomic development in the region. Across Eurasia, work is under way to improve the regulatory framework underpinning the development of intellectual property ecosystems. What are the strategic areas and trends affecting the development of intellectual property in Eurasia? What legal mechanisms are required to support the development of the Eurasian intellectual property market? What new pathways are opening up in the development of intellectual property regulation? What is the role of regional integration bodies, and how will it change in the future? What are the prospects for creating a common space in the region with regards patents and product identifications?
Moderator
Grigory Ivliev
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Performance Criteria for Research: Legal Challenges and Prospects
Congress Centre, conference hall B4
The new geopolitical landscape is impacting international cooperation in science and education. The government has set the objective of reforming how scientific work is appraised in light of recent sanctions, with the aim of encouraging innovation-led economic growth. The establishment of a national scientometric system is central to this, as efforts are made to improve legal regulation in the field of science.
• Changing approaches to scientometrics, including statistics relating to numbers of publications, digitalizing the big data system, and recording scientific results which will be used to support innovation-led socioeconomic development.
• Developing assessment criteria for scientific work, with the aim of coming up with rapid responses and supporting long-term development, including with regard to legal support for grants and other forms of competitive support.
• Development prospects for areas related to outcomes of scientific work, including number of publications, improving academic citation databases, and developing a federal programme to support leading Russian scientific journals.
• Changing approaches to scientometrics, including statistics relating to numbers of publications, digitalizing the big data system, and recording scientific results which will be used to support innovation-led socioeconomic development.
• Developing assessment criteria for scientific work, with the aim of coming up with rapid responses and supporting long-term development, including with regard to legal support for grants and other forms of competitive support.
• Development prospects for areas related to outcomes of scientific work, including number of publications, improving academic citation databases, and developing a federal programme to support leading Russian scientific journals.
Moderator
Oleg Belyavsky
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
A Life without Bankruptcy: Saving and Revitalizing Businesses Here and Now
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
• Restructuring debt: can approval be gained out of court?
• Who are debt restructuring clients? What can be done to encourage an agreement?
• Trust and transparency with regard transactions and financial standing as the key to rehabilitation.
• Identifying locations and ways of holding a dialogue: procedural and legal options.
• Who are debt restructuring clients? What can be done to encourage an agreement?
• Trust and transparency with regard transactions and financial standing as the key to rehabilitation.
• Identifying locations and ways of holding a dialogue: procedural and legal options.
Moderator
Vadim Soldatenkov
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Digitalization of Law: Challenges, Goals, Prospects
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
During the roundtable the experts will discuss various aspects related to the digitalization of law in general and the rule-making process in particular. The session will touch upon issues related to the evolution of law digitalization, its transition to machine-readable format, as well as the digitalization of the rule-making process in the Russian Federation and abroad. It is also planned to discuss the implementation of the machine-readable law concept adopted in 2021, and the possibility and necessity of updating it. Additionally, the session will cover the transfer of normative acts in machine-readable format, the pros and cons of such transfer, the existing experience in the digitization of normative acts, including administrative regulations, and further plans for the transition to a machine-readable format. It is also planned to discuss the priorities in the digitalization of rulemaking and known best practices. The panellists will also examine if the participants of the rulemaking process are ready to switch to digital rulemaking, plus the current status of regulatory policy in the field of rulemaking digitalization, as well as potential solutions to existing problems in this area. The session is also expected to include dialogue with government representatives and leading professionals, as well as members of scientific, legal, and business communities.
Moderator
Dmitry Ter-Stepanov
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Cancel Culture: The Right to Cancel, or a Cancellation of Rights?
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
A number of societies which have proclaimed the loftiest democratic ideals have seen the rise of a new way of regulating social interactions over the past decade. During this time, cancel culture has been consistently cultivated in the West, leading to societies placing less emphasis on legal assessments of individual behaviour, and more on collective hate and obstruction campaigns against people. Indeed, the principles employed appear to more resemble those of a primitive society. In just a few years, cancel culture has gained so much momentum that it can be employed not just to individual people, but entire nationalities, cultures, and even countries. What is the legal take on cancel culture? What was it that caused this shift away from societal responsibility for current events and towards collective irresponsibility? Will the law endure in the fight against cancel culture?
Moderator
Alexander Tsypkin
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Besogon and Law
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
Moderator
Aleksey Pushkov
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Psychological Help: Perfecting the Legal Framework
Congress Centre, conference hall E12
Right here and right now Russian Federation urgently needs an improvement of legal regulation in the area of psychological help. The problem has several roots. First, there is no holistic, systemic law regulating psychological help on the federal level. Legal regulation of these services is performed in the sectoral federal laws and is of fragmentary nature. Moreover, the definitions used in the legislation are ambiguous, there are no unified approaches to the content of the conceptual meaning of the term. Second, there is an imbalance between the number of actual and/or potential recipients of psychological help on the one hand, and the state and society's abilities to render such help on the other hand. Both issues are caused by the absence of a unified system of psychological help in the Russian Federation, by the lack of qualified professionals in this sphere, and by missing requirements for professional standards.
Moderator
Irina Kirkora
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
Improving Legislation and State Regulation of Legally Mandatory Bidding Processes: Russian and Global Experience
Pavilion F, conference hall F1
At the present stage, the institute of bidding has become very important for the economy overall. Bidding has become a standard form of state and municipal participation in economic affairs, ensuring equal access of all potential participants to public property and public finances. However, even the fields where the transactions parties are exclusively private entities, tenders are also becoming increasingly popular, being a tool to improve the efficiency of transactions. In this regard, Russia sees a rapid development of legal tender regulation in sectoral legislation: land, forest and water legislation, legislation on subsoil resources, and so on. One of the main tasks for ensuring equal access to state (municipal) property and other associated rights is the introduction of a single procedure for conducting tenders and the participation of entrepreneurs in such tenders in a single digital environment. During the session, the panellists will consider key issues related to the development of state regulation of bidding, which is mandatory by law in the current economic environment.
Moderator
Gennady Magazinov
30.06.2022
14:30–16:00
14:30–16:00
Broadcast
The Right to Self-Defence and Protection of the Home: Theory and Law Enforcement
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
Questions of the permissible limits to self-defence are raised periodically and are becoming quite acute and high-profile. The principle ‘My home is my castle’ is, in many countries, associated with constitutional guarantees giving the right to sanctity of the home. “To protect people who protect themselves and protect the life and health of others,” said President Putin on 9 December 2021 at a meeting of the Human Rights Council. The right to sanctity of the home is a crucial constitutional human right. On 31 May 2022, a Plenum of Russia’s Supreme Court amended its 2012 Resolution No. 19 ‘On application by courts of the legislation on reasonable defence and infliction of harm when restraining a crime perpetrator’. Today, when protecting themselves, Russian citizens must assess the nature of the danger of violence or threat, are restricted by the limits of reasonable force in self-defence, while the criminal is not restricted in any way. As practice has shown, there are cases when people who were protecting their own lives and those of their children find themselves in court as accused and receive actual custodial sentences. If, as a result of self-defence, the attacker dies, this almost always means a custodial sentence. Without the law being amended, will the latest clarification issued by the Supreme Court have any material effect on judicial practice in cases of exceeding reasonable force in self-defence? How should law enforcement practice be shaped to protect people’s own lives and health, and those of people close to them, as well as when they fulfil their civic duty to protect people under attack?
Moderator
Aleksandr Kozlov
16:00
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
How to Lower Regulation Burden: Calculate the Execution Costs or Structure Them?
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
Almost one and a half years have passed since the completion of the ‘regulatory guillotine’. Such a comprehensive legislative reform took place for the first time in Russian history and was completed on a rather tight deadline. As part of this work, it was possible to revise mandatory requirements, systematize them, and get rid of the redundant ones. Now comes the time to revise the requirements based on an assessment of the compliance costs. The Moscow government assessed a number of mass mandatory requirements and prepared proposals for their abolition or mitigation in order to create a favourable business environment. The issue of assessing the costs of compliance with mandatory requirements becomes particularly relevant in the context of providing businesses with maximum freedom in order to overcome economic instability and solve import substitution problems. Reducing the regulatory burden can provide entrepreneurs with savings that can be used for investment purposes. Another way to reduce costs is to systematize mandatory requirements, creating registers and catalogues of requirements. On the one hand this will allow to create information systems based on those registers; on the other hand, it would allow in-depth analytics on the frequency of checking requirements and on their actual implementation. This task is complicated by the fact that mandatory requirements are enshrined in legislation in a hierarchical manner, i.e. each subsequent normative act specifies, discloses and describes this or that requirement in greater detail. To what extent are requirements and permitting regimes are a barrier to business creation/scaling? Which mandatory requirements remain the most problematic from the perspective of entrepreneurs? At what level should mandatory requirements be fixed? And what should the regulatory structure look like? What can or should be contained in departmental acts of regulatory bodies?
Moderator
Alexey Bobrovsky
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
Community Service: Points of View from Society, Business, and Government
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
On 29 April 2021 the Russian government issued order 1138-r, which gave official approval to a concept outlining the development of the penal system to the year 2030. One area of focus is the development of a network of correctional centres for those serving sentences which do not involve isolation from society. This will be done by using the property of the penal system, regional governments, and organizations. There are a number of reasons why taking such a step is necessary. When convicts suffer from a rupture in social ties, the lack of proper employment opportunities, and the influence of criminal subcultures at prisons, the recidivism rate increases. Currently it is at 44%. In addition, imprisoning convicts is more expensive to the state than keeping them at correctional centres. These centres need to have a total capacity of up to 100,000. While 182,000 convicts currently have the option of applying for imprisonment to be replaced with community service, this will only be granted to those who have shown improvement and are on the path to rehabilitation. This target is expected to be met in 2024. Convicts at correctional centres will benefit from full employment and the chance to rebuild social ties. This initiative, together with social adaptation, rehabilitation and resocialization efforts after release, will lead to a reduction in recidivism.
Moderator
Eduard Petrov
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
The Professionalization of Judicial Proceedings
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
Article 48 of the Russian constitution enshrines the right to receive professional legal aid, including free legal aid in cases provided for by law. However, due to a number of reasons, it has become difficult to ensure this right. This is primarily reflected in the low quality of legal services, particularly when it comes to representing the client’s interests in court. As a result, requirements for judicial representatives have recently been raised. Now, representatives at civil, arbitration and administrative cases must have a higher legal education or a degree in law. However, practice has shown that having a higher legal education alone is not a sufficient guarantee that a judicial representative is properly qualified. Most lawyers are unregulated – they are not bound by rules of professional ethics, and cannot be struck off due to providing poor-quality legal services. The lack of clear criteria for assessing lawyers enables them – in the case of providing poor legal assistance – to avoid liability and continue their bad practice. This also applies to lawyers who have lost their status by disciplinary procedure. The current procedure for representation does not encourage public confidence in the Russian state and its guarantees as set out in the constitution. What requirements should be applied to court representatives? Who should assess whether they meet the requirements? How should the mechanism allowing lawyers to act as judicial representatives be designed?
Moderator
Mikhail Barshchevsky
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
Re-Domiciliation: Window of Opportunity
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
The legal mechanism of re-domiciliation has existed in Russian law for almost 4 years. It was introduced in August 2018, when a series of laws was adopted to create special administrative regions (SAR) on Oktyabrsky and Russky islands in order to bring back Russian business there and to attract international companies to migrate from foreign jurisdictions. At that time, the main features for SAR residents included the possibility to apply foreign law to regulate internal corporate relations, as well as tax conditions comparable to popular international jurisdictions. Given that large Russian businesses have traditionally been arranged using foreign holding structures, the introduction of significant sanctions against Russian beneficiaries and their assets in 2022 led to a situation where many companies encountered serious difficulties in carrying out various operations in foreign jurisdictions. Under the new conditions, the logical choice for many was to relocate controlled foreign companies to the SARs. As a consequence, the number of SAR residents has increased significantly since the end of February. This was facilitated by significant changes in the SAR legal regime:
Thus, the order of relocation was updated to reflect the current conditions, as well as liberalization of some mandatory requirements for SAR residents;
In addition, SAR residents were given a new legal mechanism of asset protection: the possibility of registration of international personal funds (lifetime and posthumous) in the territory of SAR;
Next on the agenda is amending the Russian legislation with a famous foreign legal tool: issuance of shares with a different volume of rights. The corresponding bill has been submitted to the State Duma.
Thus, the order of relocation was updated to reflect the current conditions, as well as liberalization of some mandatory requirements for SAR residents;
In addition, SAR residents were given a new legal mechanism of asset protection: the possibility of registration of international personal funds (lifetime and posthumous) in the territory of SAR;
Next on the agenda is amending the Russian legislation with a famous foreign legal tool: issuance of shares with a different volume of rights. The corresponding bill has been submitted to the State Duma.
Moderator
Galina Naumenko
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
Judicial Mechanisms: Dialogue between the EAEU Court and National Courts
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
• Requests for prejudicial rulings as a form of dialogue between the EAEU Court and the courts of member states. Which judicial bodies should be given the right to seek recourse from the EAEU Court? Should a request for a prejudicial ruling come at the initiative of the parties to the dispute? Should there be the option to question the validity of decisions made by the Eurasian Economic Commission under requests for prejudicial rulings? What should be the nature of documents issued following consideration of a prejudicial ruling request? What legal force should they carry?
• What is the correlation between EAEU law and legislation of member states when it comes to the practice of the EAEU Court and national courts? Mechanisms for resolving conflicts: making appropriate interpretations and not applying regulations that are contrary to EAEU law. The role of the EAEU Court and the courts of member states in upholding the supremacy of constitutional human rights and freedoms. Issues concerning the inadmissibility of retroactively applying decisions by the Eurasian Economic Commission and the protection of the economic rights of individuals and business entities.
• Reconciling judicial proceedings in the EAEU Court and national courts. Should the legislation of member states allow for the suspension of proceedings due to the plaintiff's application to the EAEU Court, or for reviewing the case in light of new circumstances?
• Key issues related to the digitalization of legal proceedings in Eurasia. Issues surrounding the recognition of e-signatures; the possibility of participating in judicial proceedings remotely; the use of digital databases.
• What is the correlation between EAEU law and legislation of member states when it comes to the practice of the EAEU Court and national courts? Mechanisms for resolving conflicts: making appropriate interpretations and not applying regulations that are contrary to EAEU law. The role of the EAEU Court and the courts of member states in upholding the supremacy of constitutional human rights and freedoms. Issues concerning the inadmissibility of retroactively applying decisions by the Eurasian Economic Commission and the protection of the economic rights of individuals and business entities.
• Reconciling judicial proceedings in the EAEU Court and national courts. Should the legislation of member states allow for the suspension of proceedings due to the plaintiff's application to the EAEU Court, or for reviewing the case in light of new circumstances?
• Key issues related to the digitalization of legal proceedings in Eurasia. Issues surrounding the recognition of e-signatures; the possibility of participating in judicial proceedings remotely; the use of digital databases.
Moderator
Mark Entin
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
The Development of Legal Education in the Russian Federation
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
Legal education is key to the government’s objective of improving legal awareness among the public. The country’s legal education system plays a crucial role. It has a direct bearing on legal evolution, on public perception, and on the efficiency of all public bodies. The legal system requires a constant influx of qualified, knowledgeable, and professional personnel. It is therefore important to focus on the development of legal education in Russia with the goal of training specialists for work at public bodies. Other aims include developing criteria and approaches to training legal specialists for work at government and municipal bodies across all levels. What global trends in legal education are in evidence today? In today’s world, how relevant is it to have specializations devoted to different areas, such as state law, civil law, or criminal law? Would it be prudent to move towards narrower specializations, such as public body lawyers, corporate lawyers, criminal lawyers, civil institution lawyers, procedural lawyers, and law-enforcement lawyers? If law-enforcement is excluded as a key part of a lawyer’s professional activities from the federal education standard covering jurisprudence, might there be any negative consequences?
Moderator
Nikolay Kropachev
30.06.2022
16:30–18:00
16:30–18:00
Broadcast
Legal Regulation of Carbon Pricing: The Domestic and International Market
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
The launch of Russia’s cap-and-trade programme is steadily approaching. The Sakhalin pilot scheme – marking a transitionary step in the programme – will begin to operate this year. There is little doubt that the new foreign policy environment will affect Russian carbon regulation, so we must again ask ourselves what the Russian ETS will look like. What business prospects exist in the new carbon credit market? What experience should Russia draw upon? Can Russia’s programme be integrated with other countries’ emissions trading systems?
Moderator
Elena Kuritsyna
10:00
01.07.2022
01.07.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Family Law in the 21st Century: Institutions and Values
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
A strong family is the basis for a strong state. Families not only offer the most valuable thing – life – but are crucial to the healthy upbringing of a child and personal development. They shape a person’s future success, and act as a link between an individual, society, and the state. They promote moral values and that which is most important in life. In Russia, traditional family values serve as the foundation for the successful development of the entire country. They provide the key to a healthy society guided by a strong moral and spiritual compass. And indeed, this is why spiritual and moral values form the basis of domestic policy in the country, with education, and preserving and strengthening the institution of the family (as it is commonly understood) at the fore. Russia is pursuing a consistent policy to support the traditional family and promote legal initiatives aimed at incorporating traditional values into the normative social order. This position is reflected in a number of regulatory documents, including the Concept for State Family Policy to 2025 (approved by Russian Government Decree No. 1618-r dated 25 August 2014), the new text of the Constitution of the Russian Federation dated 4 July 2020, and the 2021 National Security Strategy (approved by Russian Presidential Decree No. 400 dated 2 July 2021). In each of these documents, the promotion of traditional values was set out as a key priority and the basis for strengthening national sovereignty. This kind of state-level support for traditional family values serves as an example and buttress for other nations – particularly those intending to follow their own ideological pathway to further development and to defend universal human values.
• Strengthening traditional spiritual and moral values, and preserving the cultural and historical heritage of the peoples of the Russian Federation.
• The development of a safe information space, and tackling influences considered psychologically destructive to the formation of family values.
• Not the norm: minorities and transgender people.
• Supporting the interests of Russian families abroad in the context of today’s international agenda.
• Addressing issues related to the collection of child support payments.
• Strengthening traditional spiritual and moral values, and preserving the cultural and historical heritage of the peoples of the Russian Federation.
• The development of a safe information space, and tackling influences considered psychologically destructive to the formation of family values.
• Not the norm: minorities and transgender people.
• Supporting the interests of Russian families abroad in the context of today’s international agenda.
• Addressing issues related to the collection of child support payments.
Moderator
Vladimir Solovyev
01.07.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
The Legal Framework for the Development of the Arctic in the Context of Global Change
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
The Arctic is of strategic importance to the Russian Federation. There is therefore a need to develop a robust national and international legal framework that delineates national jurisdiction in the region. Environmental protection, the prospecting and exploitation of resources, and attempts to define limits of state sovereignty, the boundaries of the continental shelf, navigation regimes, and control of the seabed have become particularly pressing issues in light of a range of factors. These include a refocusing of foreign trade onto alternative markets, rapid climate change, and the development of infrastructure in the Arctic. Efforts to address these challenges need to be based on the norms and principles of international law. In addition, consideration needs to be given to Russia’s preferential position in the Arctic, given historical and regional factors.
• Defining national jurisdiction.
• Unlocking the region’s investment and technological potential.
• Environmental protection and cooperation on ecological issues.
• International cooperation.
• Navigation and the Northern Sea Route.
• Defining national jurisdiction.
• Unlocking the region’s investment and technological potential.
• Environmental protection and cooperation on ecological issues.
• International cooperation.
• Navigation and the Northern Sea Route.
Moderator
Anastasia Likhacheva
01.07.2022
10:00–11:30
10:00–11:30
Broadcast
Issues Related to the Development of the Sports Justice System
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
Russia’s recognition of priority jurisdiction by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne makes it much more difficult for professional athletes and sports bodies to protect their rights under Russian law. In many instances, they are unable to do so in Russian courts or arbitration proceedings, and are obliged to go to the CAS – an international body – in order to resolve a Russian domestic dispute. To change this situation, a number of legislative amendments were made in Russia in 2020, including to the Labour Code, Civil Procedure Code, Federal Law on Sport, and others. These outlined the creation of a national centre for sports arbitration. However, its jurisdiction in sports disputes is frequently hampered by the requirements set out by international sporting federations or associations. With Russian athletes, sports teams, and sporting federations being banned from international tournaments, it has become important to examine new ways of building a management system for Russian sport. This should encompass guidelines regulating subordination to the rules, norms and regulations set out by international federations, as well as to the sports dispute review system. This session will focus on possible ways of changing the sports management system, and the implications these may have for sports dispute review procedures. The possible rejection/restriction of the jurisdiction of national sporting federations and arbitration courts also raises the question of how to develop the national sports justice system.
Moderator
Andrey Tereschenko
12:00
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Universities and Business: Legal Aspects of Effective Cooperation
Congress Centre, conference hall B1
Practical experience is essential to high-quality education. However, partnerships between universities and companies raise a number of legal issues. Now, senior figures from the legal departments of leading Russian universities are ready to share their case studies and enter into a dialogue with company lawyers.
• Establishing company facilities at universities (departments, labs, etc.): reaching talent, or an unnecessary headache?
• Company training and internships for students: potential pitfalls.
• Network partnerships between universities and companies: combining resources to provide training.
• Involving companies in course quality assessment: learning to forget the phrase, “forget everything you learnt at university”.
• Joint scientific development: sharing intellectual property.
• Establishing company facilities at universities (departments, labs, etc.): reaching talent, or an unnecessary headache?
• Company training and internships for students: potential pitfalls.
• Network partnerships between universities and companies: combining resources to provide training.
• Involving companies in course quality assessment: learning to forget the phrase, “forget everything you learnt at university”.
• Joint scientific development: sharing intellectual property.
Moderator
Aliya Ermakova
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
The Transformation of Private Law in an Era of Digital Platforms
Congress Centre, conference hall B2
The ubiquitous spread of digitalization is posing new challenges to legal doctrines and judicial practices. This is particularly the case with the introduction of digital platforms, which are providing new ways for market participants to interact with one another. A comprehensive response to these challenges was provided by the adoption of two EU directives. Directive 2019/770 concerned contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services, while Directive 2019/771 included, among other things, provisions on purchase/sale agreements concluded remotely, and on the sale of digital content together with hard copy. As a result, new legislation has been implemented which has heralded a new phase of development for European contract law. This legislation overcomes a range of challenges associated with digitalization, including the supply of digital content and digital services. Some aspects of it reinforce tried and tested concepts in traditional contract law. However, it is also marked by several major new developments in order to factor in specific aspects related to digital products and the way they are delivered. Clearly, these new legislative developments are set to play a key role – not just in terms of protecting consumer rights, but in the doctrinal transformation of European contract law as a whole. These new approaches in European legislation evidently demonstrate that contract law needs to address a range of issues that go far beyond current legal regulation in order to develop further. The modernization of contract law therefore requires an understanding of the wholesale transformation of private law in the digital era. It may be necessary to rethink traditional views regarding the relationship between the law of obligations and property/intellectual property law. It appears prudent to make a new distinction between these sub-sectors, and to revise traditional views on how they relate to one another. This is particularly the case if data is recognized under contract law, without said law being able to guarantee sufficient protection of assets. And it is already clear that a range of prerequisites exist for legal tools to work effectively in this context. In the European Union and beyond (particularly in Russia and other Eurasian nations), it has become crucial for new concepts, principles, and rules in the field of contract law and private law as a whole to be developed. This is so that they can be adapted to effectively regulate the changing socioeconomic relations of the digital age.
Moderator
Anton Rudokvas
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Court Automation: Robot Judges on the Way?
Congress Centre, conference hall D4
It was 30 years ago now that Deep Thought first tied Grandmaster Anthony Miles in a chess tournament. Nine years later, in 1997, Garry Kasparov, the thirteenth world chess champion, played a super match against IBM’s Deep Blue. Four years ago, the legal robot LegalApe 2.8 proved that computers were ready to participate in a high-level simulation of a real legal dispute. Many legal institutions, like some other areas of human activity, have shown potential for algorithmic development, which involves the use of a clear sequential tree of conditions and decisions leading to specific legal conclusions. The text of many legal acts is based on logical constructs of a similar nature: if a party has committed a certain act, there will be a certain consequence, if the party meets certain characteristics, it is entitled to a particular status, and so on and so forth. As a result, the possibility of automation has been explored for a straightforward category of court cases that follows an algorithm prescribed by procedural codes and considers formal circumstances alone when issuing a judicial act. It was cases of precisely this category that were automated for a pilot court project that took place in the Belgorod region. A virtual assistant justice of the peace was developed to analyze incoming applications for court orders from the Federal Tax Service and prepare drafts of court orders based on the established algorithms. Can AI successfully be used to automate and streamline court processes and free up judges to focus on real legal disputes? Might we see a full-fledged autonomous robot judge in the near future? We’ll be looking for the answers to these and other questions in our roundtable discussion.
Moderator
Aleksey Sugar
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Forensic Examination at the Forefront of Attempts to Tackle Today’s Challenges
Congress Centre, conference hall B3
This session will aim to foster a constructive dialogue on innovation in forensic examination. Participants will analyse and systematize modern practices in the development and implementation of new areas of forensic research in the context of today’s challenges. Consideration will also be given to training forensic experts in new areas of forensic research. The following topics will come under focus:
• Today’s challenges in relation to legal proceedings and international cooperation in the development and implementation of new areas of forensic research in Eurasia.
• The interdependence of scientific and technological trends and the boundaries of expertise used in legal proceedings.
• Innovative approaches to improving the classification of and methodological support for the most popular types of forensic examinations.
• Harmonization-related issues in the development of new areas of forensic research at public forensic institutions and educational organizations.
• The development and implementation of modern educational models to train forensic experts in new areas of forensic research.
• The role of standardization in ensuring a high level of competence and methodological support for the work of forensic experts.
• The importance of accreditation, quality management systems, validation, and certification as tools to improve the quality of forensic work.
• Examples of international and regional cooperation in the development of new areas of forensic research.
• Today’s challenges in relation to legal proceedings and international cooperation in the development and implementation of new areas of forensic research in Eurasia.
• The interdependence of scientific and technological trends and the boundaries of expertise used in legal proceedings.
• Innovative approaches to improving the classification of and methodological support for the most popular types of forensic examinations.
• Harmonization-related issues in the development of new areas of forensic research at public forensic institutions and educational organizations.
• The development and implementation of modern educational models to train forensic experts in new areas of forensic research.
• The role of standardization in ensuring a high level of competence and methodological support for the work of forensic experts.
• The importance of accreditation, quality management systems, validation, and certification as tools to improve the quality of forensic work.
• Examples of international and regional cooperation in the development of new areas of forensic research.
Moderator
Georgiy Omelyanyuk
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Intellectual Property: Globalization or Limitation of Scope?
Congress Centre, conference hall B4
Legal regulation governing intellectual property today appears to indicate that two contradictory trends are at play. On the one hand, globalization is helping to increase protection of exclusive rights, strengthen the position of major rights holders, and expand the protection of exclusive rights beyond national regulation. However, on the other hand, globalization has led to a growing desire to introduce additional restrictions on rights in ways which may benefit individual countries, society as a whole, or certain groups. It is therefore crucial to strike a balance capable of protecting the interests of all parties. Given that some rights holders have abruptly abandoned their obligations to licensees in Russia, these issues are now cast in a particularly strong light.
• Disputes surrounding Eurasian patents.
• Changing approaches to intellectual property in the digital realm.
• Issues related to the enforced restriction of the validity of exclusive rights.
• Restrictions on exclusive copyright and related rights in the context of globalization.
• The potential to improve EAEU regulation in the field of intellectual property.
• Disputes surrounding Eurasian patents.
• Changing approaches to intellectual property in the digital realm.
• Issues related to the enforced restriction of the validity of exclusive rights.
• Restrictions on exclusive copyright and related rights in the context of globalization.
• The potential to improve EAEU regulation in the field of intellectual property.
Moderators
Lyudmila Novoselova
Elena Pavlova
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Sport is a Right
Congress Centre, conference hall D1
Russian sport is going through a difficult time due to external pressure and isolation. A striking example of unsportsmanlike behaviour was the banning of Russian Paralympians, tennis players, soccer players, chess players, and even cyberathletes from participating in tournaments. Mass exclusion of Russian athletes from international competitions can drag on and result in their exclusion from the next Olympic Games. Discrimination, marginalization, and other kinds of restrictions are forms of violation not only of athletes' rights, but also of the human right to work. Obviously, this threatens the fundamental principles of sport. The session is expected to discuss relevant problems of sport, affecting the fulfilment of people’s right to sport. Particular attention will be paid to the legal aspects of sports development, legal protection and guarantees for participants in both Russian and international sporting events. What will Russian sport look like in the near future and what role can the law play in its fate? What are the main problems of implementing the right to sport? How and when will Russian sports be internationally represented again?
Moderator
Elena Spiridonova
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
FinTech and Law: Digital Technologies and Financial Security
Congress Centre, conference hall D2
As Russia comes under unprecedented sanctions, issues surrounding national security have come to the fore. Today, no other country has come under more sanctions than Russia (7,374 as of 1 May 2022). Western nations have made no secret of the fact that these sanctions are in part intended to put Russia at a technological disadvantage across all areas of the economy. And the biggest restrictions have been those placed on the financial system. A range of Russian banks have been disconnected from SWIFT, two of the world’s biggest payment systems – Visa and Mastercard – have ceased operation, and Apple Pay and Google Pay no longer serve Russian customers. These are the most heavily publicized examples, but by no means serve as an exhaustive list of the consequences arising from the geopolitical standoff between Russia and the West. What are the aims and objectives of the further digitalization of the financial sector? How effective is government policy and the Bank of Russia in supporting the technological development of the financial market? What are the prospects for using digital financial technologies as part of Russia’s counter-sanctions policy? What does the future hold for the country’s digital currency?
Moderator
Aleksandr Sitnik
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Regulation Reform: Justify, then Introduce!
Congress Centre, conference hall D3
The large-scale regulation reform is in full swing. 2020 saw the adoption of a legislative framework for the new reform. Together with the business community the government organized and analyzed all the requirements, which led to cancellation of 143,000 out of 318,000. New regulative mechanisms like preventive visits or long-distance inspections have been introduced to control these requirements. The question remains: is this enough so that the requirements are met, while the inspections do not occur.
Moderator
Konstantin Nikitin
01.07.2022
12:15–13:45
12:15–13:45
Broadcast
Platform-Based Work: Creating a New Area of Law
Congress Centre, conference hall E11
Online platforms provide a new way of working which sidesteps the traditional dichotomy of being either employed or self-employed. The use of platforms to work on a regular basis is an area which is yet to be fully covered by law. Today, most countries are attempting to find ways of incorporating this form of working into their systems regulating social and economic relations. Around the world, legal precedents often end with recognition being given to a worker’s fundamental rights as per standard employment. However, these developments should not be viewed as a move towards equating platform-based work with traditional employment, given the regulatory vacuum that continues to exist. How should the interests of companies be taken into account so as to not scare away the players of a rapidly growing market? Conversely, what should be done to avoid any negative social consequences? What balance should be struck between the realities of the innovation economy and a fair labour market?
Moderator
Irina Kirkora