What’s new in August: pension increases, recording of MFI conversations with debtors, ‘green’ individual housing construction standard

Increase in pensions for several categories

The Social Fund of Russia will recalculate funded pensions and urgent pension payments. From 1 August, pensions will increase by 7%.

The recalculation will occur automatically, without filing an application. The increase will affect participants in the pension co-financing programme. The payments will increase is due to the results of fund investment by management companies last year.

In addition, payments to working pensioners will be indexed from 1 August. The decision will affect 7.87 million citizens. The average increase will be at least 1,300 rubles.

“Payments to working pensioners will be calculated based on the potential pension amount that a person would receive taking into account all indexations since 2016. Indexation for the period from 2016 to 2024 will be included in the pension of working pensioners after they finish their work,” explained vice head of United Russia faction Andrey Isayev in early July.

Isayev put the following example: if a pensioner has been receiving a pension of 20,000 rubles since 2016, and after leaving work in 2025, taking previous indexations into account, the amount of his pension was about 30,000 rubles, then after returning to work the amount of his pension will remain at this level.

Information system for cargo transportation

From 1 August 2024 to 1June 2025, an experiment will be conducted in Russia to create and implement National Digital Transport and Logistics Platform information system. It will be designed to process cargo transportation.

The goal of the experiment was to introduce electronic document management at all stages of cargo transportation by all types of transport. It is also necessary to test technologies for issuing permits and accompanying documents through the “single window” mechanism. During the experiment, an electronic rating of cargo carriers will be formed and the interaction of the new digital platform with the existing information systems of large carriers will be worked out.

Consignors, forwarders, carriers, recipients, operators and executive authorities will be able to participate in the experiment on a voluntary basis.

Introduction of “green” individual housing construction standard

A new national standard for “green” individual housing construction will come into effect on 1 August. It was created taking into account the experience of the international LEED and BREEAM systems, the “green” GOST R standard for blocks of flats and the Standard for Integrated Development of Territories from DOM.RF.

The standard includes 45 criteria. Architecture, environmental safety, infrastructure, energy efficiency and engineering support of the building, production and consumption waste are among them.

Depending on the number of criteria taken into account, an individual housing construction project will be awarded the rating Gold, Silver or Bronze. In total, the project can score 90 points. To receive the highest rating score, you need to get at least 63 points, Silver is equal to 54 points. To confirm compliance with the standard and assign the Bronze rating, it is necessary to meet a number of basic criteria: the use of energy-efficient space-planning solutions, responsible construction, comfortable living conditions in the house, improved consumption of energy resources and controlled consumption of thermal energy.

Electronic entry permit to Israel for Russians

From the same day, tourists from Russia will be required to obtain an electronic entry permit to Israel. The document is called Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The Israeli Ministry of Tourism explained that ETA is not a visa, and the visa-free agreement between the countries remains in force.

You must obtain the permit before flying to Israel. The application is reviewed within 48 hours. To submit it, you only need a standard package of documents.

Digital rubles as an inheritance

Russians will be able to indicate the right to digital rubles in their wills. The law regulating the inheritance of electronic money will come into force on August 1. The procedure will be established by the Russian government jointly with the Central Bank.

In mid-July, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the digital ruble platform had demonstrated its functionality as part of the “pilot” project and that it can now be used more widely.

On 24 July 2023, the president signed a law facilitating the introduction of the digital ruble. In the pilot project, clients and bank employees tested the opening of such wallets, as well as transfers and payments with real money.

Online notification about fulfilment of requests for government services

Now you can get data on all requests for state or municipal services online. Information about the registration of a request or application, an invitation to a personal appointment, and the provision of the service will appear in your personal account on State Services website.

Forensic examination by prepayment

From 2 August, the court will appoint an examination only after the party to the case has made a payment to its deposit account. These funds will be paid to the forensic expert after the meeting at which the conclusion was examined.

The document was submitted to the State Duma by the Government of the Russian Federation in December 2023. In the first reading, the chamber adopted the bill in January 2024. The changes guarantee the right of forensic experts to be paid for their work.

Previously, legal regulation required the expert to conduct a forensic examination regardless of the receipt of payment.

Tightening control in state defence procurement

From the same day, the grounds for issuing warnings to terminate actions with signs of violations of legislation in state defence procurement will be expanded. Anti-monopoly services will issue them for the purpose of regulating pricing, and responsible people will be able to voluntarily eliminate violations before initiating administrative proceedings. It is assumed that the law will allow a more rapid response to the situation.

New rules for creditors of bankrupt banks

Now, property that could not be sold during the auction can be used as compensation to pay off creditors' claims.

The rule applies in the event of a bank's bankruptcy. In this way, it will be possible to pay off the claims of priority creditors.

Micro-financial institutions and banks are obliged to record conversations with debtors

From 5 August, credit and microfinance organisations will be required to record all text and voice messages when communicating with debtors. In addition, it is necessary to keep all recordings and relevant documentation for at least three years.

According to State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, the new law will protect debtors from violations, insults or threats when repaying debts. He added that collection agencies already have similar obligations.

New procedure for calculating child benefits

From 5 August, a procedure for assigning benefits at the place of stay or actual residence will be introduced. If a child benefit was assigned in one region, and then the parents applied for a single payment based on temporary registration in a region with a higher minimum wage, the authorities will be able to check where citizens actually live.