The National Business Initiative to improve the investment climate in the Russian Federation includes roadmaps designed to improve investor protection and customs and tax administration, streamline procedures for registering business property rights, improve access to infrastructure and financial resources, increase consumer demand, provide businesses with a skilled workforce, and introduce standard operating procedures for regional executive authorities.
Since December 2011, this Initiative has been implemented under the auspices of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. To implement the initiative, the Agency has set up working groups comprising representatives of the business community, leading business associations, experts and federal government agencies.
The roadmaps are developed using crowdsourcing techniques, which are based on soliciting ideas from the online community to determine project goals and objectives, and identify ways of implementing them.
A working group is responsible for developing a roadmap for each project, which includes a step-by-step plan for implementing the initiative.
As of June 2013, the Government has approved eight National Business Initiative roadmaps aimed at improving the investment climate in Russia:
· The roadmap on Improving Access to the Energy Infrastructure was approved by Government Directive No. 1144-r of June 30, 2012;
· The roadmap on Improving the Business Climate in the Construction Industry was approved by Government Directive No. 1487-r of August 16, 2012;
· The roadmap on Improving Customs Administration was approved by Government Directive No. 1125-r of June 29, 2012;
· The roadmap on Supporting Access to Foreign Markets and Promoting Exports was approved by the Government Directive No. 1128-r of June 29, 2012;
· The roadmap on Improving the Quality of Public Services in Cadastral Registration of Immovable Property and State Registration of Immovable Property Rights and Transactions was approved by Government Directive No. 2236-r of December 1, 2012;
· The roadmap on Developing Competition and Improving Anti-Monopoly Policy was approved by Government Directive No. 2579-r of December 28, 2012;
· The roadmap on Streamlining the Registration Procedures for Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs was approved by Government Directive No. 317-r of March 7, 2013;
· The roadmap on Increasing Access to Procurements of Infrastructure Monopolies and State-owned Companies for Small and Medium-sized Businesses was approved by Government Directive No. 867-r of May 29, 2013.
The roadmap on Improving the Quality of Business Regulations is currently being reviewed by the Government.
Over 60 federal executive agencies and organisations have been involved in implementing the roadmaps, and over 120 federal laws and over 100 Government acts are expected to be developed.
As part of the implementation of the roadmaps between July 2012 and May 2013, 126 activities were conducted, 39 legal acts were adopted, seven legal acts are under consideration at the Government Executive Office, and five draft laws are under consideration at the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly.
The investklimat.rf website was launched in May 2013 to ensure public access to the results of the implementation of the roadmaps and discussions of them by the business community.