As we approach 2017, let's take a look back at the changes that 2016 brought to the world of fashion.
Luxury goods
Fur coats and pelts
Starting from August 12, 2016, all fur products must be equipped with microchips with antennas. At the same time, fur products are understood as a fairly wide range of goods designated by the 4303 code in accordance with the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity. Such products include items of clothing, including accessories (muffs, collars, etc.), made or lined with natural fur, as well as products to which fur is attached from the outside (except in cases where the fur is only a trim). This category of goods also includes sheepskin coats.
According to the new regulations, fur products located in the Russian Federation and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) must be equipped with control and identification tags, which are strips of special flexible material with built-in radio frequency tags. Information about these products will be transmitted, stored, and constantly updated in the Unified Electronic Database of the Federal Tax Service of Russia.
All imported goods, as well as previously imported goods that have not been sold before this date, will be marked with electronic control marks.
Since these rules came into effect, Rospotrebnadzor has confiscated over 50 million rubles worth of fur products during inspections in just two months. Confiscated goods that are not marked with control identification marks will be destroyed.
Jewelry
The regulation of the jewelry market has always been of great interest. This is especially true when it comes to the issue of whether it is permissible to sell jewelry made of precious metals and stones online. However, the exact answer to this question was not found even in 2016.
The position of those who believe that online sales of jewelry are not allowed is based on Presidential Decree No. 172 of 1992, which restricts the free sale of precious stones and jewelry made from them. The opposite position is based on the fact that the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the Law «On Precious Metals and Precious Stones» have higher legal force, and they do not provide for a ban on the free sale of jewelry.
After the website of the online store karatov.ru was blocked by a court decision in May 2016, news broke in the press that regional judges were «cleansing» the online jewelry market at the behest of the authorities. Towards the end of the year, it was reported that the Ministry of Economic Development was preparing amendments to a number of regulations in order to officially allow the sale of jewelry online.
Although the situation was not resolved at the legislative level before the end of the year, there is a certain assurance that there will be no legal obstacles to the online sale of Cartier rings in 2017.
In addition, due to Russia's participation in the EAEU, the government has clarified the procedure for testing, analyzing, and stamping precious metals, which will be carried out by a special institution, the Russian State Assay Chamber under the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
It is interesting to note that the list of precious metal samples for platinum now includes a permissible sample of 585, which is significantly lower than the previous samples of 950, 900, and 850.
Furthermore, the criteria for classifying precious stones as unsuitable for jewelry production have changed. The concept of precious stones is no longer limited to a list of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and alexandrites. Additionally, a rule has been introduced that allows for a 0.1 mm error in measuring the linear dimensions of gemstone crumbs, which can play a crucial role in determining whether a stone is suitable for further jewelry work.
The watch
Wristwatches and pocket watches are no longer subject to return or exchange.
It is clear that the introduction of this rule is related to the commercial success of technology giants (Apple Watch, Samsung Gear), young startups like Pebble Time, and the resulting increase in the global smartwatch market.
Wristwatches and pocket watches, mechanical, electro-mechanical and electronic, with two or more functions, have been included since May 27 in the list of non-food products of proper quality, not subject to return or exchange for an analogous product of other size, shape, size, style, color or equipment, as well as in the list of technically complex goods.
Regulation of trade activities
Calculations with customers and online cash registers
From 2017, the presence of online cash registers will become mandatory for most entrepreneurs.
The transition to new cash registers is intended to ensure the online transmission of information about each transaction to the tax service's server. This technology allows for the control of tax and fee calculations and timely payments, the automatic detection of violations, and makes it nearly impossible for any illegal manipulation of revenue. Online cash registers will become mandatory for certain categories of entrepreneurs starting from February 1, 2017. It is not necessary to purchase a new cash register — a number of old cash registers can be upgraded by installing new software and a fiscal drive. You can register such a cash register online without a personal visit to the tax authorities.
Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Finance has proposed a list of non-food products that organizations and individual entrepreneurs are not allowed to sell without using cash registers.
This list includes all clothing items, with the exception of underwear and certain accessories. According to the Russian Ministry of Finance, this innovation will primarily affect the activities of "professional" sellers on social media, online clothing stores, and other participants in the so-called small and micro businesses. According to the Ministry of Finance, these regulations are also aimed at protecting consumer rights and ensuring that sellers comply with tax laws.
Consumer Rights Protection
Mandatory Claims Procedure
Starting in 2017, consumers will be required to follow the complaint procedure before contacting Rospotrebnadzor. From now on, Rospotrebnadzor will conduct unscheduled inspections based on citizens' complaints only after the applicant confirms that they have already submitted similar complaints to a legal entity or individual entrepreneur, and that the complaint has not been resolved or the applicant's demands have not been satisfied.
Anonymous letters, even if they provide grounds for an unscheduled inspection, will not be considered by Rospotrebnadzor.
If the application on the basis of which the inspection is carried out contains false information, Rospotrebnadzor will stop further actions to carry out the inspection, and the costs of carrying out the inspection will be recovered from the applicant.
The introduction of a mandatory claim procedure is aimed at protecting business entities from unjustified inspections, allowing conflicts with consumers to be resolved peacefully.
Luxury goods
Fur coats and pelts
Starting from August 12, 2016, all fur products must be equipped with microchips with antennas. At the same time, fur products are understood as a fairly wide range of goods designated by the 4303 code in accordance with the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity. Such products include items of clothing, including accessories (muffs, collars, etc.), made or lined with natural fur, as well as products to which fur is attached from the outside (except in cases where the fur is only a trim). This category of goods also includes sheepskin coats.
According to the new regulations, fur products located in the Russian Federation and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) must be equipped with control and identification tags, which are strips of special flexible material with built-in radio frequency tags. Information about these products will be transmitted, stored, and constantly updated in the Unified Electronic Database of the Federal Tax Service of Russia.
All imported goods, as well as previously imported goods that have not been sold before this date, will be marked with electronic control marks.
Since these rules came into effect, Rospotrebnadzor has confiscated over 50 million rubles worth of fur products during inspections in just two months. Confiscated goods that are not marked with control identification marks will be destroyed.
Jewelry
The regulation of the jewelry market has always been of great interest. This is especially true when it comes to the issue of whether it is permissible to sell jewelry made of precious metals and stones online. However, the exact answer to this question was not found even in 2016.
The position of those who believe that online sales of jewelry are not allowed is based on Presidential Decree No. 172 of 1992, which restricts the free sale of precious stones and jewelry made from them. The opposite position is based on the fact that the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the Law «On Precious Metals and Precious Stones» have higher legal force, and they do not provide for a ban on the free sale of jewelry.
After the website of the online store karatov.ru was blocked by a court decision in May 2016, news broke in the press that regional judges were «cleansing» the online jewelry market at the behest of the authorities. Towards the end of the year, it was reported that the Ministry of Economic Development was preparing amendments to a number of regulations in order to officially allow the sale of jewelry online.
Although the situation was not resolved at the legislative level before the end of the year, there is a certain assurance that there will be no legal obstacles to the online sale of Cartier rings in 2017.
In addition, due to Russia's participation in the EAEU, the government has clarified the procedure for testing, analyzing, and stamping precious metals, which will be carried out by a special institution, the Russian State Assay Chamber under the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
It is interesting to note that the list of precious metal samples for platinum now includes a permissible sample of 585, which is significantly lower than the previous samples of 950, 900, and 850.
Furthermore, the criteria for classifying precious stones as unsuitable for jewelry production have changed. The concept of precious stones is no longer limited to a list of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and alexandrites. Additionally, a rule has been introduced that allows for a 0.1 mm error in measuring the linear dimensions of gemstone crumbs, which can play a crucial role in determining whether a stone is suitable for further jewelry work.
The watch
Wristwatches and pocket watches are no longer subject to return or exchange.
It is clear that the introduction of this rule is related to the commercial success of technology giants (Apple Watch, Samsung Gear), young startups like Pebble Time, and the resulting increase in the global smartwatch market.
Wristwatches and pocket watches, mechanical, electro-mechanical and electronic, with two or more functions, have been included since May 27 in the list of non-food products of proper quality, not subject to return or exchange for an analogous product of other size, shape, size, style, color or equipment, as well as in the list of technically complex goods.
Regulation of trade activities
Calculations with customers and online cash registers
From 2017, the presence of online cash registers will become mandatory for most entrepreneurs.
The transition to new cash registers is intended to ensure the online transmission of information about each transaction to the tax service's server. This technology allows for the control of tax and fee calculations and timely payments, the automatic detection of violations, and makes it nearly impossible for any illegal manipulation of revenue. Online cash registers will become mandatory for certain categories of entrepreneurs starting from February 1, 2017. It is not necessary to purchase a new cash register — a number of old cash registers can be upgraded by installing new software and a fiscal drive. You can register such a cash register online without a personal visit to the tax authorities.
Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Finance has proposed a list of non-food products that organizations and individual entrepreneurs are not allowed to sell without using cash registers.
This list includes all clothing items, with the exception of underwear and certain accessories. According to the Russian Ministry of Finance, this innovation will primarily affect the activities of "professional" sellers on social media, online clothing stores, and other participants in the so-called small and micro businesses. According to the Ministry of Finance, these regulations are also aimed at protecting consumer rights and ensuring that sellers comply with tax laws.
Consumer Rights Protection
Mandatory Claims Procedure
Starting in 2017, consumers will be required to follow the complaint procedure before contacting Rospotrebnadzor. From now on, Rospotrebnadzor will conduct unscheduled inspections based on citizens' complaints only after the applicant confirms that they have already submitted similar complaints to a legal entity or individual entrepreneur, and that the complaint has not been resolved or the applicant's demands have not been satisfied.
Anonymous letters, even if they provide grounds for an unscheduled inspection, will not be considered by Rospotrebnadzor.
If the application on the basis of which the inspection is carried out contains false information, Rospotrebnadzor will stop further actions to carry out the inspection, and the costs of carrying out the inspection will be recovered from the applicant.
The introduction of a mandatory claim procedure is aimed at protecting business entities from unjustified inspections, allowing conflicts with consumers to be resolved peacefully.