The President instructed the Russian Government to develop and approve the Strategy of the Russian Federation State Consumer Rights Protection Policy until 2030, and to ensure that a number of legal amendments related to various aspects of consumer rights protection are introduced.
The Government was also instructed to submit proposals, among other things, on improving state supervision over the safety of available goods in order to reduce any health risks for consumers, to provide more mandatory information on the seller (producer, distributor) and goods (works, services); to develop a national information platform on consumer rights protection; to identify phishing websites and restrict user access; and to codify the consumer protection laws of the Russian Federation and bring them in line with international law.
The President instructed the Government and the Bank of Russia to ensure that legal amendments are adopted regarding, among other things, microfinance and credit institutions that offer consumer loans; liability of officials who are illegally involved in approving consumer loans; restricting access at the request of the Bank of Russia to websites in breach of Russian financial market laws, including those used for committing financial fraud.
A recommendation was issued to the Bank of Russia, together with the Finance Ministry and with input from civil society organisations and consumer associations (unions), to review legal practice in regulating microfinance organisations, and submit proposals with a view to introducing additional regulations in this area, as well as analyse insurance regulations and submit proposals to exclude provisions restricting the rights of vulnerable social groups from these regulations and insurance contracts.
Separate instructions and recommendations were issued to the Government together with the Supreme Court, executive bodies in the Russian regions and civil society organisations and consumer associations (unions).