The Association of Software Developers (ARPP) “Domestic Soft” asks to tighten the requirements so that “non-core” structures, such as Ozon, Avito, HeadHunter and VimpelCom, do not get into the register of domestic software, Kommersant reports, citing a letter from the head of the ARPP Natalia Kasperskaya to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin dated June 29.
According to the text of the letter, it is necessary to tighten the criteria by which developers can get into the unified register of Russian software, which is supervised by the Ministry of Digital Development. The letter was a reaction to the proposal of the head of the department, Maksut Shadayev, to soften the requirements and enable companies in which Russian owners own not 50%, but 25% or more, to be included in the register.
According to Kaspersky, such measures will lead to the fact that “non-core” structures will appear in the register, “whose commercial activities and interests are only indirectly related to the IT industry.” Among such companies, Kaspersky includes Tinkoff, VimpelCom, Avito, Cian, HeadHunter, which supported Shadayev’s proposal to soften the requirements. Kaspersky believes that this step was taken to participate in the “distribution of the pie”, for which “the state has allocated really huge resources in extremely difficult times for itself.”
Kaspersky also argues that the easing of existing requirements will lead to the fact that “direct clones of foreign software” will be able to access public procurement, which will increase “threats to the security and technological sovereignty of the country associated with penetration into the registry of actually foreign software.”
The Ministry of Digital Development confirmed that there is a possibility of tightening the requirements for developers: “After the relevant legal acts are entered, all entries in the register will be checked to see if companies belong to the IT sector.”
VimpelCom noted that existing companies “that operate in our country, implementing and developing services and solutions in the interests of Russian users, including those involving foreign investment”, should not be limited in their capabilities and ignored at the state level.
Now the register of domestic software includes about 13.9 thousand products and 4.4 thousand copyright holders. Those who entered the register receive preferences in public procurement and the opportunity to reduce the income tax rate from 20% to 3%, as well as pay insurance premiums in the amount of 7.6% instead of 14%. Purchasing programs from the registry allows you not to pay VAT. ARPP “Domestic Soft” unites more than 220 IT companies from Russia, including 1C, Kaspersky Lab and Doctor Web.
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