The Federal Law is aimed at bolstering criminal law measures to ensure biological security in the Russian Federation.
In particular, criminal liability is established for smuggling, that is, the illegal movement of pathogenic biological agents across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union or the state border of the Russian Federation with the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.
In addition, Article 248 of the Criminal Code on violation of security rules in dealing with microbiological or other biological agents or toxins is amended to clarify the subject of the crime, as well as establish greater liability for violation of safety rules when handling pathogenic biological agents, if this has involved two or more deaths by negligence.
The Government of the Russian Federation will approve a list of pathogenic biological agents for the purposes of prosecution and conviction for these crimes.