24 Jan 2018 10:10

Communications Ministry drops idea of introducing 'Yarovaya law' gradually in Russia's regions

DAVOS. Jan 24 (Interfax) - Russia's Communications Ministry has proposed to the government to introduce the so-called 'Yarovaya law' simultaneously throughout the country as regards storage of user traffic, but gradually increase the volume of traffic that must be stored and the duration of storage.

Previously, the ministry said that it would be fairly problematic for telecom and Internet service providers to simultaneously begin storing user traffic in all regions of Russia.

"We're not talking [about stage-by-stage introduction in the regions], no. Uniformly throughout the country," Communications Minister Nikolai Nikiforov told Interfax at the Russia House organized by Roscongress at the forum in Davos.

In the summer of 2017, the ministry said there would be a gradual approach to many aspects, but foremost in regard to the regions where the law will go into effect. The ministry also submitted these proposals to the government.

The requirement for service providers to store user traffic is supposed to go into effect on July 1, 2018, but the government is now considering postponing the introduction of the 'Yarovaya law' by several months.