Money apart: the Cabinet of Ministers is ready to support the introduction of special accounts for foreign agents

The government is ready to support a bill obliging foreign agents to set up special ruble accounts in Russia, Izvestia has learned. They are intended to receive income from intellectual activity. In addition, for the second reading, deputies have prepared amendments that will concern the crediting of funds from the sale of property, the State Duma said. Experts believe that after the entry into force of the law with foreign agents will be unprofitable to work due to difficulties with the transfer of funds.

What toughening is being prepared for foreign agents

The Government is ready to support the bill on special ruble accounts for foreign agents from the results of their intellectual activity. This is stated in the draft response of the Cabinet of Ministers, which was prepared by the Ministry of Justice. The document (available to Izvestiya) notes that the initiative is aimed at improving the sphere of activities of foreign agents.

The State Duma passed the bill in the first reading in November 2024. Its authors were more than 400 deputies. The explanatory note says that the foreign agent will be obliged to open a special account for the transfer of remuneration for intellectual property there. If he fails to do so, the obligation will be transferred to the person transferring the funds. Money from such accounts can be transferred to the country's budget by court decision or "in other cases established by the government". Foreign agents will be able to dispose of the funds only after the removal of this status.

Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, said that only one special account can be opened for one person.

- Foreign agents will be able to use these accounts only in person and on the territory of our country after the status of persons under foreign influence is removed. It will be forbidden to withdraw the money received abroad," the deputy told Izvestia.

In addition, according to him, for the second reading are being prepared additional norms concerning the crediting of funds to the special account from the sale of movable and immovable property, renting it out and other income.

The Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government has prepared its comments to the draft review, in particular, they suggest to clarify the concept of "special ruble account" and use "special account" with the indication of currency.

The introduction of the status of a "foreign agent" and the regulation of their activities has become one of the elements of the system of protection of Russia's information sovereignty, emphasized Anton Nemkin. The head of the State Duma Committee on Security Vasily Piskarev earlier noted that such an initiative would exclude the possibility for foreign agents to sponsor the AFU.

How the bill will affect the activities of foreign agents

After the entry into force of the bill, the customer will be unprofitable to work with a foreign agent, because it will be problematic to transfer funds, and in general will have to disclose their relationship with the foreign agent, says the head of the Intellectual Law practice of Lemchik, Krupsky & Partners Elena Barshay. In her opinion, it is easier for the customer to choose another service provider.

- Similar accounts for the disposal of intellectual property income have long been in force for residents of unfriendly states. For example, it is a response to foreign influence and restrictions in many areas, - said the lawyer.

The bill will significantly complicate the activities of foreign agents, many of whom believed that they could maintain a source of earnings and income at the expense of existing businesses and payments for intellectual property, said Dmitry Gorbunov, partner at the law firm Rustam Kurmaev and Partners. According to him, for some time outside the Russian Federation they were of interest to the foreign public, and then they ceased to be in demand.

Foreign agent (inoagent) is a status assigned from 2022 in Russia to persons who receive support from abroad or are under foreign influence while carrying out certain activities. As reported by the chairman of the lower house of parliament Vyacheslav Volodin, at the moment 491 people have been recognized as foreign agents. Among them are writer Boris Akunin, rapper Morgenstern, former MP Alexander Nevzorov, journalist Alexander Shvarev and others.