Russian Government Plans to Regulate Digital Ecosystems

The Russian government, following a directive from the president, is preparing a concept for regulating digital ecosystems, according to Kommersant. Such ecosystems currently exist at companies like Sberbank, Yandex, and Mail.ru Group. The main goal of this regulation is to increase the global competitiveness of Russian digital ecosystems, including through government support.

This support would involve state investments in the development of digital platforms, coordination of their strategies, principles for ecosystem taxation, and procedures for mergers and acquisitions.

Implementation in Two Stages

The proposed concept is to be implemented in two stages. By 2022, the plan is to develop the necessary regulations within the framework of the federal project “Regulatory Environment for the Digital Sphere,” which is part of the national program “Digital Economy” overseen by the Ministry of Economic Development. According to TAdviser, this project is the least expensive within the Digital Economy program, with a budget of 542 million rubles for 2021–2023. By 2030, the goal is the “mass creation of digital platforms and their integration into the economy.”

Industry Reactions

MTS has announced plans to participate in discussions on regulatory issues related to digital ecosystems. Mail.ru Group, on the other hand, does not see the need for new regulations as obvious, stating, “In the context of competition for the domestic market between local and global players, it is more important to maintain equal opportunities and avoid discrimination against Russian companies.”

Softline notes a trend in the US, China, and the European Union toward closing certain markets to platforms from other countries. The company considers the prospects for Russian platforms abroad to be uncertain.

Source

• Kommersant