RF business community asks State Duma to call off requirement on obligatory state expert approval of OSR plans

Experts and participants of the bunkering market call on the State Duma of the Russian Federation to pass in the first reading the draft law No 824042-6 providing for calling off the requirement on obligatory state environmental expert approval (SEEA) of oil spill response activities plans and to return to previously used closed list of activities subject to SEEA, says the press center of Russian Association of marine and river Bunker Suppliers.

The requirement on obligatory SEEA was set forth by the Federal Law dated December 30, 2012 (No 287–FL) though the bunkering market experts opposed it before the Law approval. They were explaining their position to the authorities at different levels. According to them, such a legislation cannot improve the environment while creating unreasonable and excessive administrative barrier for the majority of market players.

According to Vladimir Sergeyev, Chairman of the Association, draft law NO 824042-6 has been anonymously supported by the representatives of the business community amid large scale negative impact of the Federal Law dated December 30, 2012 (No 287–FL) being observed since the middle of 2013. The negative impact includes the large scale corrupt practices while the unreasonable and excessive requirement set forth by the mentioned law overburden most of the bunkering companies amid the crisis situation.

The draft law No 824042-6 has been supported by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. 

The concept of the draft law No 824042-6 was considered on September 16, 2015 and was backed by the work group of the RF Marine Board Presidium involving the representatives of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. It was also supported by the State Duma’s High Environment Council on natural resources at its extended meeting held on April 21, 2016. 

Yet, State Duma’s Committee on natural resources at its meeting held on June 2, 2016 suddenly decided to recommend the State Duma reject the draft law as it was supported by the Legal Department of the Presidential Administration. Moreover, the head of the Committee said in advance the draft law will be rejected, says the statement of Russian Association of marine and river Bunker Suppliers.