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The majority of my colleagues agree that the most spectacular event of the VIII Saint-Petersburg International Legal Forum was the one where the Russian telecommunication company Megafon presented its legal robot. Not only did the robot appear in front of the public, but also represented one of the disputing parties in a mock case.

It is hoped that the tax treaty between Russia and Hong Kong will improve economic relations between the countries and increase their level of transparency. Rustem Ahmetshin, a Senior Partner at Pepeliaev Group for Bloomberg BNA. 

On 3 October 2017 the Russian Ministry of Finance published the draft “Main directions of the budgetary, tax and customs tariff policies for 2018 and for the planning period of 2019 and 2020”. The document states that it is necessary for Russia to reduce its dependency on the export of oil. Over the next several years this will have to be accomplished in difficult economic and international conditions. New investments in the country's economy will need to be attracted. 

Bilateral trade and investment flows between Hong Kong and Russia are expected to expand over the next couple of years as Russia shifts its economic focus to Asia, and the conclusion of the comprehensive double taxation agreement (CDTA) between the two parties.

The Russian government has proposed an increase in the maximum value of the tax base for social insurance and pension payments by 8 percent beginning Jan. 1. All companies in Russia, including foreign and multinational enterprises, are liable for compulsory insurance contributions for their employees to fund social welfare programs. The payments include social insurance in case of employee's temporary incapacity to work or maternity leave, medical insurance to fund the free public health care system, and pension contributions for retirement.

The advertising of medicines in the Russian Federation is regulated primarily by the general and special provisions of Federal Law No. 38-FZ dated March 13, 2006 ‘On Advertising’ (the “Law onAdvertising”). Also, the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (“AIPM”) sets out some rules on advertising and methods of promotion to the general public. These requirements are prescribed by the AIPM Code of Practice, which is a self-regulatory code, and applicable only to the pharmaceutical companies that are members of AIPM. In particular, the AIPM Code establishes both general provisions on the promotion of medicines and specific features for advertising and other methods of promotion to the general public.