When Russia lifts its moratorium on control measures, the landscape of regulatory oversight could shift toward preventive visits from authorities rather than routine inspections, potentially starting in 2025. Reports indicate that the Ministry of Economic Development is considering restricting future activity to preventive visits to enterprises, a move that would reframe how compliance is monitored across industries.
Notably, exemptions will apply to facilities categorized as high or extremely high risk, including nuclear power plants, hydroelectric plants, chemical plants, and producers of meat, fish, milk, and other sensitive food products. These critical operations would remain under continuous supervision to ensure safety and product integrity.
The latest details are documented in departmental papers circulated to the consumer protection authority Shield, reflecting the ministry’s stance on risk-based oversight and enforcement priorities.
At the same time, prominent figures have urged the ministry to hold companies found in violation accountable through administrative penalties, signaling a push toward stronger accountability in the corporate sector.
The Ministry of Economic Development noted that facilities not designated as high or extremely high risk are currently not subject to planned inspections under the moratorium. This policy, enacted by presidential order in 2022, is scheduled to remain in effect through the end of 2024, with potential adjustments aligned to risk levels and public safety considerations.
Unplanned inspections may still occur for these enterprises in emergency situations defined by the moratorium. Examples include imminent threats to life or health, the emergence of emergencies, or violations of mandatory requirements that demand urgent government action.
A key distinction between preventive visits and inspections is that preventive visits aim to enhance organizational performance, not to levy penalties. Over the past year, the uptake of preventive measures has surged, with inspectors conducting more than a million such visits, representing a substantial increase compared with the number of formal inspections in the same period.
The reform agenda centers on transitioning from traditional inspections to preventive visits and adopting a risk-based approach to oversight. The overarching goal is to improve regulatory efficiency while safeguarding public health, safety, and consumer interests across sectors that matter most to citizens in Canada and the United States. The publication emphasizes that this shift reflects ongoing efforts to modernize control and audit activities through evidence-based risk assessment and clearer accountability standards.
Earlier discussions in the State Duma touched on the role of prosecutors in unplanned inspections of ready-to-eat food producers, signaling broader conversations about enforcement methods and industry governance.