NEWS

A Digital Dictant project is being conducted with an aim of monitoring digital literacy of the public and involving the community in the implementation of activities under the “Human Resources for the Digital Economy” federal project of the “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” national programme.

The project comprises online tests for knowledge of basic Internet programmes, navigation in and use of Internet services, computer literacy, Internet security, collection and analysis of programmes and projects related to enhancing digital literacy of the public and is carried out from March 28 to April 11, 2020 in all regions of the Russian Federation, covering citizens of two age groups: 14 to 18 years old, and 18 years old and older.

Online tests for evaluating digital literacy, as well as the Regional Map of Digital Opportunities that accumulates information about projects and programmes to enhance digital literacy of the public in the Russian regions, is available at the Digital Dictant website (in Russian).

In order to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus infection in the Russian Federation and to ensure the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the Russian population, as well as in order to take measures to implement the rights of citizens to protect health, the Russian Government decided to approve the Temporary Rules for Handling Sick-Leaves in the Event of Quarantine.

Employers in Tatarstan should suspend employees from work in case of increased temperature. It is also necessary to install dispensers with disinfectants for hand-washing. It is recommended to provide free access for employees to places for washing their hands, organise body temperature measurements, assist employees in observing self-isolation at home, and review travel schedules for employees to regions with an unfavourable situation.

People arriving from countries with the most disadvantaged coronavirus situations (China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, Germany) should self-insulate at home for two weeks from the moment they return. A sick-leave can be get without contacting a medical institution, the republic’s government said.

Those who return from abroad are also strongly recommended to call the hotline: +7 (843) 296-02-24 or +7 (843) 231-20-70 for seeking medical help at home when symptoms of the disease appear.

Last week Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov introduced special sanitary and anti-epidemiological regime on the republic’s territory. It will be valid until April 15. It provides for a number of restrictions when conducting events that involve a large numbers of people. International sporting events were postponed until a more favourable epidemiological situation. Sports matches (regular games) will be held without the participation of spectators, and cultural events have been postponed to a later date.

The Ministry opened a hotline to address problems with the supply of essential goods, unfounded price increases, problems in the sales of finished products, etc.: +7 (843) 210-05-77, +7 (917) 264-13-27 (WhatsApp).

Detailed information on measures being taken for the sustainable economic development under conditions of worsened situation due to the spread of coronavirus infection can be found here (in Russian).

The Industry Development Fund will provide enterprises with a concessional loan of RUB 50 to 500 million at 1% for a period of up to 2 years under the “Combating Epidemic Diseases” programme.

This programme is aimed at funding companies that manufacture equipment and products for the detection, prevention, and treatment of epidemic diseases, or produce personal protective equipment, medicines, and medical devices.

Loan objectives are as follows:

- Purchase of equipment;

- Financing of working capital for the purchase of raw materials and components;

- Acquisition of critical finished products abroad.

Loan features:

- Co-financing is not required;

- Exemption from payment of principal debt up to 1 year;

- Collateral not required for financially sound state-owned corporations and PAO;

- Other financially sound companies only require the beneficiary’s guarantee to secure a loan; other companies: in accordance with the Fund standards.

Projects will be considered on an expedited basis.

Additional information can be found at the Consultative Centre of the Industry Development Fund: tel. +7 495-120-24-16, 8 800 500-71-29, E-mail: frp@frprf.ru, or at https://frprf.ru/protivodeystvie-epidemiologicheskim-zabolevaniyam/

During a working meeting with Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov held on March 23 in Kremlin, President of Russia Vladimir Putin instructed to provide citizens and specialists with the necessary materials to combat the coronavirus. The President especially emphasised: it is necessary to expand production volumes; this applies, in particular, to protective masks, disinfection fluids, devices, and medical equipment.

“We have 18 companies that have primarily focused on making facemasks. We expect a total of five million masks per day in the first half of April. As for other goods – medical equipment, lung ventilators, thermal imagers, non-contact thermometers, and UHF irradiators for disinfecting rooms – we are now also maximising production. The same concerns disinfectants”, reported the Minister.

“You have now named the most important elements of the work when it is important to exert maximum efforts for containing the possible spread of this infection. Therefore, I strongly hope that you, your colleagues and industry representatives who realise this will do everything possible to provide all the necessary materials, devices and medical equipment to the people and to our special services and units, so that they would have everything necessary for organising their work”, said Vladimir Putin.

Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Albert Karimov, visited AO Aromat to discuss the potential of increasing the output of disinfectants with the company’s executives.

President Minnikhanov was informed that the company’s production facilities allow the production of antiseptics (disinfectants, hygienic gels and sprays for hands and surfaces), including the same in large containers for industrial and motor transport enterprises. This requires a special excise tax.

Due to the fact that the issue is related to ensuring the safety of people under the special sanitary and anti-epidemiological regime, President Minnikhanov took this issue under his personal control. In the near future, the issue will be brought up for discussion at the federal level.

Disinfectants, including antiseptic hand gels, are currently one of the most popular products of Kazan-headquartered Aromat.

“On the Internet, there is now a proliferation of speculators who offer antiseptics at overinflated prices. This is unacceptable. We should ensure the sales of antiseptics in due quantities through retail and pharmacy chains”, the President said.

As a result of numerous appeals of individual participants in the footwear market about their inability of marking the remaining footwear before March 1, 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia developed a new draft resolution of the Russian Federation Government on amendments to Resolution No. 860.

According to the new wording of the draft resolution, putting footwear into circulation without applying identification marks and submitting information about marked goods to the information marking system, as well as the circulation and putting out of circulation of unmarked footwear, shall only be allowed until July 1, 2020.

Unsold until July 1, 2020 and currently circulating footwear should be marked before September 1, 2020 and information on the marking of such footwear should be submitted to the information marking system.

Also, the new draft resolution provides that, until August 1, 2020, the participants in the circulation should apply marking codes on footwear imported into the Russian Federation after July 1, 2020, but purchased before July 1, 2020, and submit information on the marking of such footwear to the marking information system.

Dear exporters,

The Russian Export Centre invites you to take part in the All-Russian Exporter of the Year Award in International Cooperation and Exports, which was established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Award applicants can be both large businesses and SMEs. Exporters may claim victory in such categories as: “Exporter of the Year in Manufacturing Industry”, “Exporter of the Year in Agriculture”, “Exporter of the Year in Services”, “High-Tech Exporter of the Year”, and “Trader of the Year”. In addition, each applicant may apply for participation in the “Breakthrough of the Year” (for SMEs) or “New Geography” (for large businesses).

The contest for the Award is held on a competitive basis in two stages. First, the winners are determined at the federal district level, then the best exporter in each category is determined from their number at the national level. The results of the Award’s national finals will be announced as part of the Made in Russia International Exports Forum with the participation of Russia’s top officials.

In 2019, more than 1,600 exporting companies became applicants for the Award.

You can apply for participation in the Exporter of the Year Award on the website of the Russian Export Centre by filling out an electronic application form. Profiles will be automatically ranked depending on the export data you specify.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan hereby informs all those concerned that in furtherance of the Decision of the Sanitary and Epidemic Control Commission under the Tatarstan Cabinet of Ministers No. 19 of March 13, 2020, the Tatarstan International Forum for Energy & Resource Efficiency and Ecology (TEF-2020), previously scheduled to be held in Kazan from 17 to 19 March 2020, is postponed to a later date.

The date will be announced later.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan hosted the next session of the Coordinating Council for Ensuring and Protecting Consumer Rights in Tatarstan chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Albert Karimov.

Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare in Tatarstan Marina Trofimova made a report on the fulfilment by municipalities of the list of instructions in the follow-up of the last year’s Coordination Council session.

Head of the State Inspectorate of Tatarstan for Ensuring State Control over Production, Circulation, and Quality of Ethyl Alcohol, Alcoholic Beverages, and Consumer Protection Jaudat Akhmetkhanov spoke about improving consumer protection activities in Tatarstan.

Executive Director of Regional Centre for Public Control in the Sphere of Housing and Communal Services of Tatarstan Dmitry Romanov reported on problems in ensuring the protection of consumer rights in the sphere of housing and communal services.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan underwent training on the mobilisation work of detecting the COVID-19 virus. All Ministry’s employees got their temperatures taken and received facemasks.

Symptoms of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) are similar to those of the usual (seasonal) flu: high body temperature, headache, weakness, cough, difficulty in breathing, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea.

7 steps to prevent coronavirus infection:

1. Quit visiting public places: shopping centres, sports and entertainment events, avoid public transportation at rush hours;

2. Use a facemask (respirator) in public places, changing it every 2-3 hours.

3. Avoid close contacts and staying in the same room with people who have visible signs of SARS (coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge).

4. Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly after returning from the street or having contacts with other people.

5. Disinfect gadgets, office equipment, and the surfaces you touch.

6. Limit your hugs and handshakes when greeting.

7. Use only personal hygiene items (towels, toothbrushes).