July 2, 2015 at 16:30The State Duma may tighten the law on preferences for domestic software
The State Duma of the Russian Federation may tighten the law on preferences for Russian software, if the government cannot agree on ways to limit public procurement of foreign software until the fall. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law, and his first reading was held at the end of May 2015, according to Vedomosti. Starting from January 1, 2016, government agencies will have to explain the purchase of foreign software in case analogues are found in the register of domestic software. The registry itself is planned to be created before January 1.
The Ministry of Communications decided to support domestic programmers before the State Duma made the same decision. At the end of February, the Ministry uploaded a draft government decree to the Network proposing to limit government purchases of imported software using the already mentioned Russian software registry. Now the document proposes to ban government procurement of foreign software.
If there are no domestic analogues of the software in the register, the purchase of foreign software will be allowed to the organization that needs such software. In addition, if there is a domestic analogue, it does not suit the customer for some reason, and the option of purchasing foreign software is also possible.
The chairman of the State Duma’s relevant committee, Leonid Levin, explains that the law signed by the president requires justification for the purchase of foreign software in the presence of domestic analogues. But the law reserves the right to limit such purchases to the government. When the bill was approved, the deputies provided for a possible delay in agreeing on support measures for domestic developers. This is happening now. Both the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Antimonopoly Service have claims to the relevant bill.
Currently, more than 50% of software purchases in the state segment are made by Microsoft, Oracle and SAP products. And this is a few million dollars a year.
The Ministry of Communications decided to support domestic programmers before the State Duma made the same decision. At the end of February, the Ministry uploaded a draft government decree to the Network proposing to limit government purchases of imported software using the already mentioned Russian software registry. Now the document proposes to ban government procurement of foreign software.
If there are no domestic analogues of the software in the register, the purchase of foreign software will be allowed to the organization that needs such software. In addition, if there is a domestic analogue, it does not suit the customer for some reason, and the option of purchasing foreign software is also possible.
The chairman of the State Duma’s relevant committee, Leonid Levin, explains that the law signed by the president requires justification for the purchase of foreign software in the presence of domestic analogues. But the law reserves the right to limit such purchases to the government. When the bill was approved, the deputies provided for a possible delay in agreeing on support measures for domestic developers. This is happening now. Both the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Antimonopoly Service have claims to the relevant bill.
Currently, more than 50% of software purchases in the state segment are made by Microsoft, Oracle and SAP products. And this is a few million dollars a year.