Salaries of accountants and drivers will increase
Starting October 1, the salaries of several categories of beneficiaries will increase. Thus, the salaries of employees of government agencies who are not civil servants will increase by 5.5%. These include accountants, security guards, cashiers, drivers, commanders and freight forwarders.
The salaries of Russian Railways employees are also increased, including those engaged in railway maintenance. And workers working in institutions controlled by Russian Railways, for example, medical and educational.
Salary of former and current security officials will increase by more than 10 percent
From October 1, pensions will be indexed to all former military personnel and equivalent former employees of other law enforcement agencies: the FSB, the Federal Security Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Russian Guard, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, firefighters, customs officials and drug trafficking control authorities. This year the increase will be more than 10% and, specifically, the salary of former security officials will increase by 1,105 times.
In total, the indexation will affect more than 3 million people. But most importantly, the same raise awaits all current law enforcement employees.
Salaries will increase for military positions, for military ranks of contracted military personnel, and for military positions of conscripted military personnel.
The size of official salaries and special ranks for persons serving in the Russian Guard, employees of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation, institutions and bodies of the penitentiary system, mandatory enforcement authorities will also increase , the State Fire Service and the customs authorities. and persons in charge of federal mail communications authorities.
Stricter loan limits have been established
The Bank of Russia has set new macroprudential limits (MPL) for unsecured loans and borrowings for the fourth quarter of 2023 (starting from October 1). The decision was made to limit the growth of citizens’ debt burden by discouraging lending to borrowers with a high debt burden.
The Central Bank has repeatedly noted that unsecured consumer loans are growing at a high rate. Debt growth in July was the highest in the last 12 months at 2%, and the annual growth rate was 13.3% as of August 1, 2023.
Banks complied with the MPL by making smaller loan amounts to borrowers. The average loan amount decreased from 207 thousand rubles. in the 4th quarter of 2022 (before the introduction of MPL) up to 187 thousand rubles. in the second quarter of 2023. As a result, the share of loans with a debt load index (DLI) increased from 50 to 80%: from 27% in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 33% in the second quarter of 2023, says the Central Bank.
Since July 1, 2023, the Bank of Russia has reduced the MPL values, but so far the debt of borrowers with a higher debt burden remains significant: 64% of the portfolio falls on borrowers who allocate more than half of their income to service the debt. (loans to borrowers with an MPL of more than 80% – 32% of the portfolio). This creates risks for borrowers and banks in the event of potential shocks. Taking this into account, the Bank of Russia considers it advisable to accelerate the transition to a more balanced credit structure and is adjusting the MPL values for the fourth quarter of 2023, explains the Central Bank.
A mortgage with a low down payment will be less profitable
Starting October 1, banks should find it less profitable to issue mortgages with low down payments. New instructions from the Central Bank on macroprudential buffers in relation to risk ratios come into force.
The premiums will depend on the size of the down payment (i.e. the ratio between the size of the loan and the value of the collateral) and the expected debt load of the borrower, the NKR agency explained. The highest premiums are set for loans for housing under construction: for example, for loans with a down payment of up to 10%, the calculated premium will be 900%. However, the proportion of these loans is insignificant, experts say.
The proportion of mortgages overall for borrowers with high debt loads is much higher. Most loans issued would require risk premiums four or six times higher. However, these surcharges cannot be considered prohibitive, especially for large banks with sufficient capital reserves, according to the NKR.
We remind you that as of September 20, the minimum initial payment for all preferential mortgage programs was raised. Now it should be at least 20%.
Inexperienced investors will not be able to trade foreign securities
From October 1, unqualified investors will be limited to trading in a number of foreign securities. As can be seen from the Moscow Stock Exchange report, we are talking about almost 700 securities.
This is another restriction by the Central Bank to protect the money of inexperienced investors. In addition, from the beginning of 2023, there is a complete ban on the purchase of securities from hostile countries by unqualified investors. Unqualified investors can purchase securities from friendly countries that are not accounted for through the infrastructure of hostile countries, as well as foreign securities whose issuers operate primarily in Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
It will be easier for banks to open mobile offices
Starting October 1, the Central Bank simplified the procedure for banks to open mobile cash transaction points and renamed their departments “mobile office.”
The changes will allow banks to expand their capacity to provide banking services in remote and sparsely populated areas, in disaster and emergency areas, the Central Bank emphasizes.
The mobile office will also be able to carry out loan operations, account transfers without opening a bank account, provide full cash services and provide collection services to companies.
Decorating a garage will be easier
In October the law on workshop associations will come into force. The document, in particular, establishes concepts such as “garage territory” and “garage complex”, and also forms a general legal approach to their creation.
“Now it is possible to prepare plans of a plot of land for a certain garage without the consent of all tenants, if previously the land representing the territory of the garage was given to all members of the cooperative,” explained the Secretary of State and deputy director of Rosreestr Alexey Butovetsky. “If there is an approved survey project”, where the formation of land for a specific garage is not provided for, a citizen will be able to prepare such a scheme without the need to redo the survey project. Additionally, key terms are legally defined, such as “garage,” “vehicle storage location,” and “garage complex.”
We remind you that a garage amnesty is in force until September 2026, which allows you to register the ownership of a garage and the land under it in a simplified manner. Until April of this year, more than 172 thousand objects had already been registered under the garage amnesty.
Burgers will be subject to an increase in VAT
Starting October 1, the Federal Tax Service will increase the value added tax (VAT) on hamburgers to 20%.
“Taking into account that sandwiches, including hamburgers, cheeseburgers and other similar products, corresponding to the OKPD2 group codes 10.85.19, are not included in the list of food products subject to VAT at the tax rate of 10 “, when sold, a VAT rate of 20% is applied,” says the letter from the Federal Tax Service.
Beer labeling on glass bottles and PET containers will be mandatory
From October 1, mandatory digital labeling of beer and beer-based beverages packaged in glass or PET containers will begin.
Labeling of beer and beer-based drinks in Russia is being introduced in stages: for products in kegs it became mandatory from April 1, 2023, and for drinks in aluminum cans it will not be introduced until January 15, 2024. Since April 1, wholesale and retail trade has transmitted information on the sale of labeled products to the labeling system. Information on the partial removal of beer and low-alcohol drinks in kegs when sold on draft will need to be transferred to the system from June 1, 2024.
Mandatory labeling for several products has already been introduced in Russia. This is how the State fights against illegal products. In the case of beer, the proportion of these products varies, according to various estimates, from a few percentage fractions to 30%.
The beer labeling experiment has been taking place since 2021. It was initially planned to be mandatory from September 1, 2022. But the experiment was extended for a year. In July 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT, the labeling operator) and the Association of Beer Producers (APP, which includes the largest beer producers) agreed to start the tagged April 1. 2023.
Defectors and extremists will be deprived of Russian citizenship
On October 26, 2023, the new Law no. 138-FZ “On citizenship of the Russian Federation”. From now on, to obtain a Russian passport, a foreigner, in addition to the requirement of permanent residence in the territory of the Russian Federation (from the date of the decision to issue a residence permit in the Russian Federation and until the day of applying for admission to Russian citizenship for 5 years), knowledge of the Russian language and presentation of the necessary documents, you will also need to confirm your knowledge of the history of Russia and Russian legislation.
At the same time, the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship will be simplified for some applicants. This applies to citizens of the former USSR and their children; those who have close relatives with Russian citizenship living in Russia; participants in the state program to assist the resettlement of compatriots living abroad in the Russian Federation; persons whose parents, children, grandparents or grandchildren permanently resided in the territory that belonged to the Russian Empire or the USSR (within the state border of Russia).
From the list of those who have the right to obtain Russian citizenship according to a simplified scheme, persons who applied for it after receiving a temporary residence permit due to marriage were removed. Now, to have fewer fictitious marriages, it is possible to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified way only if the couple has a child together. Before the adoption of the new law, foreigners received Russian citizenship in a simplified form if their spouse was simply a citizen and at least three years had passed since the marriage.
Starting in October, the processing time for citizenship applications will also be reduced. Now, if the decision on this matter is made by the internal affairs bodies, the application will be considered within three months. If these are diplomatic missions or consular offices – six months, if it is the President of the Russian Federation – one year.
New reasons for deprivation of citizenship will also appear. In addition to those previously enshrined in law, Russian citizenship can be lost due to desertion, calls for extremism and discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
In addition, a period of ten years has been established, after which it will not be possible to make a decision to cancel Russian citizenship in connection with violations committed during the process of admission to citizenship.
Companies will begin to receive fines for failure to report employees to the military registration and enlistment office
Employers have a new obligation: to guarantee the notification and assistance of citizens called up for military service through mobilization, to assembly points or to military units.
If the employer did not notify the employee about the existence of the summons, did not help him to appear at the military registration and enlistment office, or even prevented him from doing so, he risks paying a fine of 400 to 500 thousand rubles. from the company or 60-80 thousand rubles. of an official.
Previously, an employer faced a fine of 1 to 3 thousand rubles for violating military registration.
The threshold for duty-free import of goods into the territory of the EAEU is reduced to 200 euros
The maximum cost standards for the import of certain goods for personal use into the customs territory of the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) without paying customs duties and taxes will be reduced.
From October 1, for goods for personal use delivered by a carrier in the customs territory of the EAEU, as well as sent by international mail to the customs territory of the EAEU, the cost norms will not exceed the equivalent of 200 euros. Previously, duty-free import applied to goods worth no more than 1,000 euros.
A higher threshold for duty-free imports was introduced in 2022 as an anti-crisis measure.
It is necessary to transfer the payment towards the future payment of the excess profits tax.
From October 1, 2023 to November 30, 2023, taxpayers must transfer a guarantee payment to the federal budget against the next payment of excess profits tax. The excess profits tax is a single tax. It is established by federal law, which takes effect on January 1, 2024.
