Putin proposes completely switching to risk-oriented approach to business inspections as of 2025, abdicating practice of temporary moratoriums

MOSCOW. Feb 29 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed abdicating the practice of temporary moratoriums on inspections for businesses as of 2025, and switching to a risk-based approach.

"I consider it possible, as of January 1, 2025, to abandon temporary moratoriums on business inspections and instead, taking into account the accumulated experience, completely switch to a risk-based approach, enshrining it in law. Where there are no risks, it is necessary to apply preventive measures, and thus minimize the number of inspections," Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly.

He said a measure such as temporary moratoriums on inspections of enterprises "has totally proved its worth." "Companies that guarantee high quality of goods and services and are responsible to consumers really can and should be trusted," he said.

The moratorium on scheduled and unscheduled inspections has been in effect for several years. The moratorium on planned inspections is valid until 2030, and the moratorium is not applicable to facilities that are classified as high risk categories and extremely high risk categories, including power plants, chemical industry enterprises, and others. At the end of last year the government, at the president's request, extended the moratorium on unscheduled inspections of businesses until the end of 2024.

The government has in recent years been reforming control and supervisory activities in order to transition to a risk-based supervision model, which should shift the emphasis from punishment to preventing violations, and reduce the number of inspections.