In this document, we explore the key aspects of AI regulation in Russia and abroad and current business-related issues concerning the use of AI.

On 7 April 2025, the President signed Law No. 72, which prohibits Russian advertisers from placing adverts on restricted resources. These changes will come into force on 1 September 2025.

On 28 February 2025, Law No. 23 was adopted, amending the regulation of personal data. These changes will come into force on 1 July 2025.

The amendments significantly transform the requirement for localizing personal data of Russian citizens.

With extensive internet penetration reaching about 88%, development of e-commerce is one of Russia’s key strategic initiatives, currently accounting for about 4.6% of GDP. In 2020, despite overall economic downturn, the pandemic spurred a substantial increase in online shopping across the country, extending even to Russia’s most remote regions. The e-commerce market remains diverse, offering opportunities for businesses across a broad range of products to find their niche.

To learn more about Russia’s e-commerce market, please read our article for Asia Business Law Journal.

In early August 2024, several significant changes to digital law were adopted. In this material we outline the most important updates.

On 22 July 2024, amendments to the fourth part of the Russian Civil Code were adopted, addressing the regulation of orphan works. These amendments will come into force on 21 October 2024.

On 29 May 2024, the Supreme Court approved the Review of judicial practice in cases related to protecting copyright and neighbouring rights from Internet infringements.

The Supreme Court included 41 cases in the Review, grouped into eight sections. In this overview we present the conclusions that, in our opinion, were significant and which were included in the Review.

On 20 May 2024, Presidential Decree* No. 430 “On the Temporary Procedure for Acquisition of Exclusive Rights from Certain Right Holders and Meeting Monetary Obligations to Certain Foreign Creditors or Persons under their Control” was signed by the President and entered into force.

Now, within the framework of counter-sanction regulations, transactions on assignment of intellectual property owned by right holders from “unfriendly” states shall be approved by the Government Commission for Control over Foreign Investment in the Russian Federation.

We are pleased to present a digest encompassing the latest news and all the main changes in Digital Law in 2023. The digest is available in English and Russian.

On 14 December 2023, a draft decree has been submitted for approval to the Russian Ministry of Justice (the “Decree”) that provides for amendments to the Presidential Decree No. 81 dated 1 March 2022 introducing a new procedure for approving transactions to dispose of or pledge exclusive rights of right holders from the so-called “unfriendly” countries.