Foreign consulting companies proposed to recognize as undesirable in Russia

Foreign research companies that study commodity markets can be included in the list of organizations whose activities are undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation. Such amendments are proposed to be introduced into the law “On the Fundamentals of State Regulation of Trade Activities of the Russian Federation,” said Artem Kiryanov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy.

The amendments suggest that structures created by such companies to circumvent Russian laws will receive the status of foreign agents. After the adoption of the amendments, the company will have to enter data about itself into the list of the Federal Antimonopoly Service. The decision on the ownership structure of the consulting firm will be made by a special commission. If the required information is not provided, then the shares in the authorized capital of such a structure may be forcibly sold by a court decision.

Mr. Kiryanov is convinced that Russia “needs analytics that we will independently process on our territory,” and he called the collection of data by foreign research companies “espionage.” “Today, in the context of open information and economic confrontation with Western countries, it is important to prevent and eliminate the threats of uncontrolled data collection of Russian citizens, and in fact ongoing economic espionage by Western research companies,” he said. “Izvestia”.

He claims that foreign research companies have already consulted with leading lawyers “and are looking for a loophole in the future law.” Allegedly, these companies launched the process of “fake re-registration to formally comply with the proposed rules.” Among the companies that are trying to get away from the future law, Artem Kiryanov named Nielsen, GFK, IQVIA and IPSOS.

Member of the Federation Council for Constitutional Legislation and State Building Alexander Bashkin called the measures being worked out forced. As he claims, “there is information that such data harms Russia.” “This measure is not only forced, but also temporary. As long as the negative pressure on our country – economic, political, military – does not stop, we are forced to defend ourselves. It’s a protective measure,” he said.

Laura Keffer