Russia proposes letting businesses register at an email address
In short
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko said a draft law has been prepared that would allow legal entities to register a business using an address in a state email system for official correspondence instead of a physical address. He said the bill will be published for public discussion. Under current law, legal entities must use a physical address for official communication, the government apparatus said.
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Deputy Prime Minister and government apparatus chief Dmitry Grigorenko said a draft law has been prepared that would allow legal entities to register a business using an address in a state email system for official correspondence instead of a physical address. Speaking to journalists at the «Цифровые решения» forum, he said the bill will be published for public discussion, according to Interfax and Vedomosti. [ 2 , 4 ]
Grigorenko said the change would allow business to save on rental payments and simplify official communication, Interfax reported. Under current legislation, legal entities must use a «physical» address for official communication, the government apparatus said, a point TASS also reported. For registration with the tax service, the apparatus said the draft would use the director's home address, which would not be shown in the EGRUL register, Interfax reported. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The email system itself is being created under amendments to the law «О почтовой связи» adopted this summer, Interfax reported. Vedomosti reported separately that on October 5 it became known that Mincifry had prepared a regulation on the email system, to be introduced through changes to the postal law. According to Vedomosti's account of the draft, users would include authorities at all levels, courts and law enforcement bodies, state companies and organisations with state participation, citizens and legal entities, with АО «Почта России» as operator responsible for building, developing and running the system. [ 2 , 4 ]
The idea of registering by email address is several years old, Interfax reported: in 2023 a group of deputies from the «Новые люди» and «Единая Россия» factions submitted bills to the State Duma on registering companies and individual entrepreneurs by email address via the public services portal. The authors argued that as information technology develops, more legal entities no longer need a physical address for their operations. The government issued negative opinions on those bills at the time but said in its response that the idea deserved attention once an implementation concept was worked out, according to Interfax. RIA Novosti reported only that business registration by email address may be allowed in Russia. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The measure, if adopted, would change how companies register and communicate officially, and the vice-premier says it would cut rental costs for business. It would also create a new role for the state email system being built by «Почта России», extending its use to courts, authorities and companies. No timing for adoption is given in the documents.
Key facts
- Deputy Prime Minister and government apparatus chief Dmitry Grigorenko said the draft law will be published for public discussion [ 2 , 4 ]
- Grigorenko said the change would let business save on rent and simplify official communication [ 2 ]
- Under the draft, the tax service registration would use the director's home address, which would not appear in the EGRUL register, the apparatus said [ 2 ]
- The state email system is being created under amendments to the law «О почтовой связи» adopted this summer [ 2 ]
- Mincifry prepared a regulation on the email system on October 5; the operator will be АО «Почта России», serving authorities, courts, law enforcement, state companies, citizens and legal entities [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- When the draft law could be adopted or come into force The documents say only that the bill will be published for public discussion; no timeline is given.
- How the proposed mechanism differs from the 2023 bills on email registration of companies and individual entrepreneurs Interfax recalls the 2023 bills and the government's negative opinions at the time; the documents do not compare the texts.
- The exact scope and rules of the new email system Only Vedomosti describes the Mincifry regulation and the list of users; the other documents do not detail it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports the proposal to allow business registration by email, citing the government apparatus on the current physical-address requirement [ 1 ]
- Interfax quotes Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko at the «Цифровые решения» forum saying a draft law has been prepared and will be published for public discussion [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reports that business registration by email address may be allowed in Russia [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reports the proposal and adds that Mincifry prepared a regulation on the email system, with «Почта России» as operator [ 4 ]
- On October 5, Interfax and Vedomosti's account says, Mincifry prepared the regulation on the state email system [ 4 ]