All company activities in Russia may be divided into two categories:
- Those which do not require a permit
- Those which require either a state license or membership in a self−regulatory organization (SRO)
Product certification and declarationPerforming these activities without the appropriate license will lead to severe punishments, including closure of the business and criminal sanctions against the General Director and company management
The import and sale of certain products in Russia require authorization documents such as certificates, declarations of compliance with technical requirements, etc.
The list of products that require certification is established by law and corresponds to the uniform rules of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). For example, all medicines and biologically active supplements are subject to mandatory state registration.
In order to reduce counterfeit and contraband products in Russia, systems for marking and tracing goods have been introduced over the recent years. Both measures are designed to track the movement of goods from the moment of import onto the territory of the Russian Federation to the moment of sale to the end consumer and guarantee its authenticity. They apply to different categories of products.
Marking requires the assignment of a specific code to each single good, registration in a special system and specific technical equipment at the seller. The traceability system controls goods by lots and does not require the use of additional equipment. The list of goods to be marked currently includes alcohol, cigarettes, medicines, shoes and clothing, perfumes and others. Traceability requirements apply among others to refrigeration equipment, washing machines and baby carriages. In the future, the government plans to extend the marking and traceability systems to all products.
Intellectual propertyIntellectual property matters are regulated by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
In Russia, the rights to scientific works, works of art and literature, software and databases, trademarks, company names, inventions, industrial prototypes, and other intellectual property are subject to recognition and protection. Legislation provides not only for primary registration, but also for subsequent registration when items categorized as intellectual property are the subject of various transactions such as license agreements, exclusive rights agreements, and/ or transfer of rights.
A trademark is protected by law within the Russian Federation only if it has been officially registered as either a Russian or an international trademark
- use the trademark
- prohibit its use by other entities
- manage the trademark: allow usage, pledge the trademark, contribute it to share capital, etc.
Russia is a participant in the Madrid Trademark Registration System. For this reason, there are two ways to file an application for trademark registration in Russia:
A number of laws in Russia protect trade secrets. In practice, the requirements established by these laws are extremely difficult to enforce, and therefore do not provide effective protection. In most cases, documents meant to protect confidential information from disclosure (nondisclosure agreements, corporate documents, etc.) are themselves of a declarative nature.
The Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RAUIE) has been helping foreign companies to develop business with Russia since 2010. To start cooperation with Russia with the support of the RAUIE you can leave an application via the "ask a question" form on the website, or by email office@raspp.ru.
Our experts will help you develop your business with Russia not only in export but also in import, namely to find a direct manufacturer in Russia and conclude a deal with him on the supply of products to China or start your investment project in Russia for the production of agricultural or food products for export to China, including obtaining government incentives for the investor in Russia.
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