The State Duma abolished age marking from 0+ to 16+ for books and works of art

The State Duma adopted in the second and third readings a bill to abolish the mandatory age marking from 0+ to 16+ for books and works of art. Books included in general education programs cannot be prohibited from distribution among children (with the exception of the “18+” category).

The law establishes that only the marking “18+” remains mandatory. You can apply intermediate marking at your own discretion “by any available means”. For example, it is suggested to use such general language as “for family reading”, “for preschoolers”, “for children of secondary school age”, “not recommended for children” or others.

The rule applies to works of literature and art, to the work of museums, exhibition halls, houses and palaces of culture, clubs, parks of culture and recreation, libraries, archives, theaters, concert organizations, circuses and other cultural organizations.

In addition, the main religious texts of religions traditional for the Russian Federation are removed from the law. The distribution certificate for films must contain information about the prohibition of distribution to children.

The bill was passed on first reading in December 2019. In January 2021, President Vladimir Putin recommended deputies to change the rules of age marking. Shortly before that, he had been complained that the current system interfered with theaters, libraries, museums and bookselling. As the head of the State Duma Committee on Culture, Elena Yampolskaya, said, because of the law, stores can receive a fine for selling “Quiet Don” and “Romeo and Juliet” to schoolchildren with markings 18+ and 16+, respectively.

Leonid Uvarchev