Dear CERBA Members and Partners,

We would like to inform you that the Government of Canada is looking for Canadian representatives at APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

More information: https://www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/appointments-nominations/notices-avis/2020-06-12-abac.aspx?lang=eng

Dear CERBA Members and Partners,

In accordance with information kindly provided by CERBA Corporate Member – Intermark Relocation, the governmental decree No. 1671-p dated 25 June 2020 foreign nationals employed in Russia as highly qualified specialists (HQS) may be allowed one time entry into Russia at the approval received from Russian state authorities.

What are the changes?

The exemptions from the current prohibition of entry into Russia for foreign nationals now extend to a new category – HQS employees who enter Russia one time based on state-approved lists.

The following conditions apply:

- The list of such employees with information on the date of entry and entry check point must be sent to the Federal Security Service and MIA of Russia by a federal executive authority (ministry) which supervises the industry of employer company’s activities;

- The restrictions on issue of work permits and invitation letters via MIA of Russia as well as issue of visas by Russian consulates abroad will not apply to HQS employees who are included in the list and stay abroad;

- Upon entering Russia such HQS employee must present, aside from passport and visa, a valid labour or services contract concluded with the Russian employer or customer.

Intermark comments:

Putting an HQS employee on the list will most likely require long and multi-stage approval procedure which will imply submitting a request from an employee company to the Russian ministry responsible for the industry of its activities, as well as receiving consequent approvals of the list by the FSS and MIA of Russia.

The decree does not elaborate on the details of the process. We expect state authorities to provide additional clarifications on the course of actions for the employer companies.

Upon entry into Russia the HQS employees will be subject to a 2-week home quarantine.

We would also like to note that the decree does not provide for possibilities of entry into Russia for the dependents of HQS employees.

Who is affected?

Foreign nationals employed as HQS and their employers.

Dear Canadians,

If you are planning to travel to Canada, please find important information in the provided consular document. The full document is available at the following link: Government of Canada's Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA)

Best Regards,

CERBA

Gowling WLG's global Life Sciences team has advised long-standing client AstraZeneca on a landmark collaboration agreement for the development and distribution of the University of Oxford's potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Head of life sciences Patrick Duxbury and director Jenny Davies worked on the deal with AstraZeneca Assistant General Counsel, Corporate, Maryam Abdul-Kareem; finalising the terms of a deal first highlighted in the Prime Minister's COVID-19 briefing earlier this month.

The arrangement will enable the two organisations to globally develop, manufacture and distribute the University's potential new recombinant adenovirus vaccine (known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19). The vaccine, being developed by the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, aims to prevent COVID-19 infection from SARS-CoV-2.

Under the agreement, AstraZeneca will be responsible for development and worldwide manufacturing and distribution of the vaccine.

Patrick Duxbury said: "We are excited to have played a part in advancing the development of this potential COVID-19 vaccine. We have worked with AstraZeneca for a number of years and so have an excellent understanding of the company, the team and the key considerations to address in order to get this deal done.

"For obvious reasons the deal was completed in a very short time frame. Importantly, we worked closely with all parties concerned and drew on our international expertise in transactions like this to ensure the collaboration has the best foundation for, hopefully, ultimately bringing this vital vaccine to patients worldwide. It was a great team effort by everyone involved."

The potential vaccine entered Phase I clinical in April. This phase focuses on studying safety and efficacy in healthy volunteers aged 18 to 55 years, across five trial centres in the South of England. The resulting data from this phase is expected shortly which, if positive, would lead to late-stage trials in a number of countries.

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in the areas of oncology, cardiovascular, renal & metabolism and respiratory & immunology. AstraZeneca operates in more than 100 countries and its medicines are used worldwide.

Bristows LLP advised the University of Oxford.

The collaboration between AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is the latest in a number of significant pieces of COVID-19 related advice provided by Gowling WLG. Last month, its commercial contracts specialists also provided legal advice on a consortium agreement for the manufacture of ventilators for the NHS. Ventilator Challenge UK, a consortium of significant UK industrial, technology and engineering businesses from across the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors, has come together to produce medical ventilators for the UK. This type of commercial expertise and other insights are brought together in the firm's COVID-19 resource hub for clients.

Gowling WLG's global Life Sciences team combines extensive sector expertise with full-service capability. Described as a "sterling commercial life sciences practice for complex licence, research and collaboration agreements" in Chambers UK 2020, the team is well-equipped to advise clients internationally. Clients range from global pharmaceutical companies and leading research and academic bodies, to small private companies and start-up businesses.

Contact:

Madina Assylbekova

Director of Strategy and Business Development RUSSIA/CIS

+7 495 775 4863

madina.assylbekova@gowlingwlg.com

Full article is available at the following link: https://gowlingwlg.com/en/news/firm-news/2020/astrazeneca-and-university-of-oxford-collaboration/ 

Dear CERBA Members and Partners,

On the basis of the information kindly provided by CERBA Corporate Member – Intermark Relocation, we would like inform you that on 8 June 2020 the President of Russia signed a law on amendments to the legislation regulating the address registration in Russia. The changes will take effect on 7 September 2020.

Which law introduces the changes?

Federal law No. 182-FZ of 08.06.2020 "On amendments to the Federal law "On the migration registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation"

What are the changes?

1. Foreign nationals who own a living premise in the territory of Russia may act as host parties for any other foreign nationals who actually dwell in this premise.

Intermark: The foreign nationals’ new entitlement to register other foreign nationals in their own living premises is indisputably a positive novelty because it will allow such landlords to register family members or guests regardless of their own immigration status and should make it easier for them to lease such premises to other foreign nationals.

2. Aside from already existing means of submitting the address registration application (at migration office in person or via MFC or via post office) the new law introduces a new option to submit it in electronic form via Public Services Portal.

Intermark: Introduction of the electronic address registration option may simplify the registration process, though in practice this option may be implemented with delay and may be not applicable in certain situations. We will keep track of further clarifications received from the migration authorities.

3. In case a foreign national’s host party owning a premise is a Russian national permanently residing outside Russia, a foreign national or a foreign organisation staying or located outside Russia then this foreign national is obliged to report their arrival to the migration office in person in order to perform their address registration. To this end, they will need to provide a notarised consent of the owner for their stay in the relevant premise. The form of consent is to be approved by the MIA of Russia.

Intermark: Though the very possibility of performing the address registration in circumstances when the host party stays outside Russia is very topical, this new regulation provides only for in-person visits of foreign tenants to migration offices as a solution. In addition, it is unknown how the authorities will evaluate that a particular Russian landlord is “permanently residing outside Russia” – this depends, at least, on the landlord’s consent form that is yet to be approved.

4. When registering upon arrival at a hotel or similar organisation (sanatorium, recreation centre etc.) foreign nationals will no longer be automatically de-registered from their previous place of stay provided that the latter was not another hotel or similar organisation.

Intermark: This change may be deemed positive as long as it means that the host party is exempted from re-registering a foreign tenant upon their return to the previous place of stay after staying at a hotel. However, this will depend on how the migration authorities will construe this regulation in practice.

5. The law provides that the residence registration for the holders of temporary or permanent residence permits, in addition to the option of visiting a migration office in person, is also available via Multifunctional centre or in electronic form.

Intermark: This change may simplify the process of residence registration both for the foreign resident and for the landlord.

Who is affected?

Foreign nationals as well as companies or individuals who provide them with premises for actual dwelling.

Gowling WLG has been recognized for its outstanding IP strength by being named the Intellectual Property "Law Firm of the Year"in the 2021 edition of the Best Lawyers™ in Russia. In addition to the firm’s collective achievement, six Gowling WLG professionals earned a best-ever showing with a total of 13 rankings across multiple IP-related practice areas.  

Gowling WLG is one of the world's most respected and trusted law firms when it comes to protecting and enforcing IP rights. Through the firm’s Moscow office, the experienced team of IP practitioners has worked seamlessly with a global clientele for over two decades to deliver strategic advice in all aspects of IP law throughout Russia and the CIS.

This year,Best Lawyers^® has recognized the firm’s professionals in the six practice areas highlighted below – Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Life Sciences, Litigation, Media Law and Telecommunications.

Among the professionals ranked, partner Vladislav Ugryumov has also been named "Lawyer of the Year" for Life Sciences. This significant accolade is reserved for those lawyers who received the highest overall peer feedback rating in their region and practice area.

The following Gowling WLG professionals have been recognized across six key practice areas in Russia:

Information Technology

Intellectual Property

David Aylen
Alexander Christophoroff
Marina Drel
Vladislav Ugryumov

Life Sciences

Vladislav Ugryumov (Lawyer of the Year)

Litigation

Alexander Christophoroff

Media Law

Telecommunications

Best Lawyers® is an international series of guides that publishes annual listings of the leading lawyers in over 70 countries. Recognition is based entirely on an extensive peer-review process, with lawyers rating the professional abilities of colleagues within their area of practice.

MOSCOW, 14 May – Gowling WLG Russia’s patent and trademark practitioners have been distinguished as "IP Stars" and ranked among the world’s leading intellectual property experts by Managing Intellectual Property (MIP).

Three partners from Moscow office have been nominated by MIP in more than one IP category: David Aylen and Alexander Christophoroff have been listed in both ‘Patents’ and ‘Trademarks’ categories and Vladislav Ugryumov appeared in ‘Patents’ category.

This year's edition of "IP Stars" has ranked the firm and its lawyers highly across six of Gowling WLG's key jurisdictions: the UK, Canada, Russia, UAE, France and Germany, awarding 36 IP practitioners the prestigious “IP Star” nomination.

Considered one of the world's foremost IP rankings, MIP's "IP Stars" identifies the leading private practice IP practitioners globally who have been highly recommended by their peers, based on an extensive research process that covers 80 jurisdictions - including the key markets for IP protection, exploitation and enforcement. Released annually, the results are based on assessment of the strength of the firm's IP team, workload, outcomes achieved for clients and track record.

About Gowling WLG Russia:

For three decades, Gowling WLG has been a recognized leader in the protection of intellectual property rights in Russia and the CIS region. Through the strength of our Moscow office, the firm continues to deliver strategic advice and tailored solutions in all aspects of IP law to a global clientele. We are a trusted adviser to many of the world’s leading innovators and brand owners on the Fortune Global 500 list. Clients appreciate the superior quality of our services, strategic and practical approach, and responsiveness. Learn more

About Gowling WLG’s IP Group:

With unmatched expertise in patents, trademarks, brands and designs, advertising, IP litigation and more, Gowling WLG's global IP team has been winning cases for clients around the world for more than 125 years. Learn more

Contact:

Madina Assylbekova

Director of Strategy and Business Development RUSSIA/CIS

+7 495 775 4863

madina.assylbekova@gowlingwlg.com

The Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in Canada and Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA) express their sincere condolences to Ms. Irina Annenkova, her family, friends and colleagues on the untimely death of Mr. Andrey Varichev.

The name of Mr. Andrey Varichev is inextricably linked with the development of trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Canada.

The energy and indomitable will of Mr. Andrey Varichev were the drivers of the Russia-Canada Business Council in the difficult conditions of declining trust between the countries. His personal participation in the implementation of joint projects has allowed him to remain active in many areas of trade and economic relations between Russia and Canada.

His personal role in the implementation of humanitarian projects in Canada with the participation of businesses, universities and a wide coverage of the Russian-speaking population of Canada is invaluable.

This is a bereavement for all of us, we grieve with his family and friends.

Gilles Breton

National Chairman

Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA)

April 23, 2020

In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On some measures to stabilize the economy” No.308 dated April 21, 2020, the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“NBRK”) set temporary limits on the amount of cash that legal entities are permitted to withdraw from their bank accounts in one calendar month. The cash withdrawal restrictions are effective from June 1, 2020, until December 31, 2020, and are applicable to the following business entities:

It is allowed to exceed the set limits only if: (i) the client (i.e. a legal entity of one of the above-mentioned types of business entities) provides a rationale for withdrawing cash to the bank where the cash withdrawal is expected, and (ii) the bank further obtains approval from the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance. The committee shall consider a request for cash withdrawal within three business days.

Restrictions on cash withdrawal do not apply to individuals (including individual entrepreneurs), micro-sized enterprises and other certain categories of legal entities.

We are monitoring the situation and will keep you updated on any developments. 

*Article provided by Dentons, link to the original source can be found here>>

Dear CERBA Members,

We would like to inform you that EY has kindly extended the invitation to the Members of our association to join the series of webinars organized by EY.

Please use the following link to view all topics and register for the webinars: https://www.ey.com/ru_ru/webcasts