Russia's planned introduction of payment for use of western software not to affect small, medium businesses - minister

KALUGA. Aug 12 (Interfax) - The Digital Development Ministry's proposed introduction of payment for using western software, the rights holders to which have left Russia, will not affect small and medium businesses, Digital Minister Maksut Shadayev told reporters.

"We believe that small and medium businesses should not pay for western software," Shadayev said at the Digital Evolution forum.

He said the proposal to introduce payment will be included in the Data Economy national project, which is scheduled to be presented in September.

Shadayev has talked about charging a fee for using the software of vendors who have left Russia since 2022. For example, his ministry drafted a bill to create a kind of special account or fund into which users of western software would pay, with the money then used to support Russian software developers.

In June 2023, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the authorities were considering introducing mandatory fees on organizations for using foreign software until they transition to Russian solutions. Under this initiative, half of the proceeds could go toward grant support for Russian IT companies and the other half could be used as collateral for subsidized loans for them, Mishustin said.