Russian and foreign experts, has discussed how to assist business amid COVID 19 pandemic and what support
measures were introduced by tax authorities worldwide. They came to a conclusion that the countries would
have to focus on resuming their efforts in the area
of digitalization and digital transformation of tax administration ►
“The world will never be the same, but the mission of law must be preserved”. Speakers of the
Plenary Session elaborated on prospective joint global initiatives and corresponding international
conventions to outline common principles of global cybersecurity, put a ban on trade wars and unilateral
sanctions, eliminate discrimination in international affairs, ensure global financial stability, give backing to the countries that
suffered most from the pandemic, put in place a mechanism to fight poverty ►
The measures to be introduced by countries for overcoming COVID-19 and the international strategy in the
event of potential future crises were discussed at the Open Meeting of the Ministers of Justice. “We
must predict which of these acts will be much needed after the end of the epidemic and will be transferred
from the pilot mode to the permanent regime of application, and which will require prompt cancellation,
otherwise risking to damage the normal state of the legal system”, Konstantin Chuychenko, the Russian
Minister of Justice explained ►
How shall governments resolve the conflict of the right to life and health on the one hand and the right to
freedom of movement on the other? During a discussion
session involving the President of the European Court
of Human Rights
experts discussed the controversy of human rights restriction and protection amid
pandemic ►
Culture in Quarantine: Limitations and New Opportunities. Museums, art galleries, theatres, cinemas and
libraries have closed for visitors for the sake of social distancing and hence safety their employees
and visitors. What are the challenges
the museum community has faced in these trying times and whether it is possible to find solutions?
►
Pandemic might be a positive force when it comes to long-discussed and sought-after regulatory changes
which otherwise would have took years to be fulfilled by the state or business community. In many countries,
such are rush but necessary changes in the social protection and welfare. It’s time for revolutions, and not humble
corrections – this was unanimous experts’ verdict ►
A shift to remote working has exerted its influence on many fields of labour market and has put a number of
complicated points before both Russian and foreign companies. It is, first of all, about continuous work
organization, information security and employees’ comfort. These issues have been discussed at the
session ‘Remote Working: Challenges and Solutions for Employers, Employees and Professionals’
►
The global pandemic has apparently demonstrated that the civil legal turnover is bound to move into
‘on-line space’. Representatives of Russian and international notary community elaborated on how
notaries public should set up their activities in restrictive settings, what reliable digital capacities are
available to notaries in response to COVID-19 pandemic and will be demanded to ensure safety and
stability of civil legal turnover across innovative digital formats ►
How should antitrust regulation be transformed in the age of the pandemic? What new challenges do antitrust
agencies face and what new practices do both Russian and international regulators already apply? These and other questions were
discussed by experts at LF 9 ½: Rule of Corona ►
How to Resolve Disputes with Counterparties? How should companies do to survive if contractual parties fail
to fulfill their obligations and what instruments to implement in order to sustain damages? Presumably, the crisis is the high time to
pursue tradeoffs and discard persistent legal relations in favor of formats of interaction
►
The pandemic has gravely affected the operation of courts, as they had to work literally behind closed
doors and hastily switch to online channels. Judges from the European Court of Human Rights, UNCITRAL and
the Supreme Court of Russia discussed practical issues which state courts
and arbitration institutions face while resuming their operations in the era of social
distancing ►
COVID-19 forced educational institutions to go online – and there are both advantages and drawbacks
in such a transformation. Session panelists shared their views on forms of remote and online
learning, related issues and ethical matters that should be resolved ►
Force majeure circumstances in legal sense suggest an extraordinary, and particularly noxious turn of
events that is not typical of day-to-day life, as well as it is unavoidable, in other words it is impossible
to avoid its impact. What may be rendered force majeure and may the COVID-19 pandemic be treated this way?
Distinct law scholars from China, Germany,
Italy and Russia debated on the matter ►
“We need to provide additional protection for debtors, thus, the pandemic will facilitate the
development of rehabilitation procedures both in Russia and abroad” - experts from Russia, Great Britain and Germany
have discussed bankruptcy procedure issues and details under the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic
►
How the world in general, and the work of lawyers in particular, will change after the coronavirus
pandemic, was discussed on Saturday, 11 April, at the session “New World after Coronavirus, From
Creative Destruction to Renaissance?” of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum. According
to one of the panelists, lawyers should
be ready to an increased number of divorces, insolvencies, labour disputes, fraud cases, and other
criminal offences starting from mid-summer ►
International Labour Organization, ‘The crisis, world economy is facing now, will be the worst in the
postwar period’. How to preserve your business and discharge obligations to employees? What amendments
to employment laws are now possible or permitted? Are employment
contracts going to be squeezed out by services agreements?
Remote work, social distancing, a ban on mass events and personal contacts except for the most vital. How
could joint stock companies and financial organisations take corporate actions in such an environment? The
law allowed for annual meetings to be held in absentia and postponed deadlines. But what to do with offers
and buybacks, payments under securities and other corporation actions? How to avoid mass violations of
investor rights under the guise of fighting the epidemic? Bank of Russia brought these questions to the
experts’ table ►
“Our regulators, which have always been very conservative, and this is true for the Russian Health
Ministry, Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare and Ministry of Industry and Trade, managed to act
faster than their foreign counterparts and adapted their regulations and procedures to accelerate the
decision-making for the sake of COVID 19- positive patients. This speed deserves a lot of respect and may
serve as a best practice for most of the countries worldwide.” Lawyers and pharmaceuticals: SPBILF
discussed accelerated registration of medicines ►
Despite the difficult working conditions during the pandemic, the bar should draw attention of the
government to the rule of law. Bar leadership from Azerbaijan France, Germany, Russia and the UK presented
on how lawyers can continue their work during the fight against the coronavirus and what measures are taken by countries to
support them at “Pandemic and Legal Profession: Who Wins?” session ►
