Corruption remains one of the key threats to sustainable business development. Corruption scandals demonstrate the disastrous consequences of corruption revelations for companies: multimillion dollar fines, criminal prosecutions of executives, reputational damage and loss of investor confidence.

As previously communicated to WEX clients, the submission of applications and the compilation of client dossiers were suspended as of September 1, 2024. 

All applications submitted before this deadline have been processed, and the corresponding dossiers have been compiled and submitted to WEX’s management for review. We are pleased to report that significant progress has been made in locating clients, verifying their identities, and obtaining documentation confirming the lawful origin of their funds.

From 01.07.2025 the Federal Law No. 23-FZ dated 28 February 2025 “Concerning Personal Data and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation" will enter into force, containing a new version of part 5 of Article 18 of Federal Law No. 152-FZ

We are pleased to announce the appointment of two new partners and counsel!

Lidings comments to the Review of judicial practice on issues related to indexation of court-ordered monetary amounts on the day of execution of the court decision (in Russian).

• pdf, 9.49 Mb

On 14 February 2025 the Draft Law No. 841857-8 “On Amending Articles 247 and 259.3 of Part One, Articles 689 and 700 of Part Two and Article 1137 of Part Three of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation” (hereinafter – the “Draft Law”), providing for the possibility of registering information on the order of possession and use of real estate in common shared ownership, was submitted to the State Duma.

The development of a double taxation treaty between Russia and the United Arab Emirates ("DTT") started as early as in 2022, but the final text of agreement was not known until middle of February 2025. The process of drafting the agreement was delayed because the UAE agreed to a 10% withholding tax rate on passive income paid abroad only under the terms of renegotiation of DTTs with other Arab countries, requiring similar tax rates of 10% in such agreements.

On 10 February 2025, President Trump signed an executive order, "Pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Further American Economic and National Security" ("EO"): Is anti-corruption compliance on pause?

The EO establishes a moratorium on new investigations and enforcement actions under the FCPA for 180 days (with the possibility of a 180-day extension) and directs the Attorney General to review current investigations and enforcement actions within the specified timeframe, along with a revision of the guidelines governing FCPA investigations.

A draft 02/08/02-25/00154538, which is intended to update a procedure for the establishing and functioning of a medical panel in healthcare organisations (“Draft”), has been placed on the Federal Portal of Draft Regulatory Legal Acts.

On 4 February 2025, the official portal of legal information were posted:

1. Order of the Ministry of Health No. 708n of 23 December 2024 “On Approval of the Procedure for Maintaining the Register of Issued Permits to Conduct Clinical Trials of Pharmaceuticals” (“Order No. 708n”) - the document replaces Order of the Ministry of Health No. 754n dated 26 August 2010;
2. Order of the Ministry of Health No. 706n dated 20 December 2024 establishing the procedure for the Ministry of Health to publish on its website a list of medical organisations conducting clinical trials (“Order No. 706n”) - the document replaces Order of the Ministry of Health No. 752n dated 26 August 2010.

Both documents entered into force on 15 February 2025 and aim to harmonise with the provisions of the EAEU regulations, as well as to simplify the system of information resources maintenance by the Ministry of Health by abolishing the “paper” document flow.