Special economic zones of Russia: description

If the state of the state's economy leaves much to be desired and is completely unattractive to foreign investors, then one of the ways out of this situation is the special zones organized on the territory of the country. Within the framework of these separately taken territories, it is possible to conduct absolutely different industrial, investment, fiscal and tariff policies.

What are the special economic zones of Russia? Why are they created? What is attractive for such places for investors and what benefit does the state bear? We will try to answer these and other questions in the framework of this article.

Special zones

Undoubtedly, the best practices of creating such territories belong to European countries. Nevertheless, Russia also has quite a serious potential in this area. To date, more than two dozen SEZs have been registered on the territory of the country. The main special economic zones of Russia can be divided into several types:

• Industrial;
• Tourist;
• Logistic;
• Technological.

A little later we will talk in more detail about the types of SEZ. Now let's talk about their location. The special economic zones of Russia include the territories in Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Dagestan. This includes the Kaliningrad region. The newly created can be attributed to the Crimean peninsula.

Basic concepts

In this area, a rather confusing terminology. Let's look into it a little. Surely you have repeatedly heard such expressions:

• Special economic zone;
• Free economic territory;
• Free trade zone;
• Special economic zone.

How can we understand what they all mean? There is nothing complicated here. All of the above are different names for one phenomenon. Exception here may be unless the free trade zone. This concept also means free territory, but much smaller. Usually, a free trade zone is a physically separate territory in sea or air ports, where there is no customs fee. A classic example is Duty Free.

The objectives and conditions for the creation of the SEZ

Special economic zones of Russia are whole territories (regions, regions, republics) that have a special legal status. There operate their own preferential economic conditions. As a rule, they are extremely beneficial for domestic or foreign investors. All legal entities conducting economic activities in the territory of the SEZ are called its residents.

To create SEZ, you must have some conditions:

• Good geographical location of the territory;
• Availability of free areas for development;
• developed infrastructure;
• Attraction of human resources with sufficient qualifications;
• The possibility of developing interregional and international relations;
• Existence of historically developed types of activity.

Why special zones are needed

All special economic zones of Russia are called upon to solve strategic tasks. The creation of such territories contributes to the development of the country as a whole, and to the improvement of life in its individual regions. With the organization of the SEZ, the state solves such problems:

• Creation of a large number of new jobs for citizens who have sufficient qualifications;
• Attraction of foreign capital to the country;
• Stimulating domestic producers to invest in advanced technologies, production, infrastructure;
• Retention of intellectual potential in the country;
• Development and support of the domestic manufacturer.

Residents participating in the development of special economic zones also have their advantages:

• Use preferential taxation to reduce administrative and production costs;
• Saving on various duties, rental rates and other payments, create a more competitive product;
• Have the opportunity to attract qualified personnel;
• Increase their revenue by minimizing their own costs.

In addition, the state constructs infrastructure in the SEZ most often at its own expense. This also reduces the burden on residents.

What is the essence of SEZ?

As you have already understood, all special economic zones of Russia (their list is quite large) help to develop or develop new territories and industries. A special regime is created for entrepreneurs with the aim that they can quickly reconfigure their business under new conditions. A classic example is the Crimea. This is a completely new territory, all the business on which has long been adapted to the laws of Ukraine. Now entrepreneurs need time and incentives to reorient him. Therefore, the state reduces taxes, simplifies the system of customs duties, adapts the insurance system and simplifies registration. The same thing happens in other regions.

Privileges

For residents of the SEZ there are preferential economic conditions. For example, these are:

• Privileges in the sphere of trade - the absence of duties on imported raw materials or spare parts, if they are needed for the production of the final product, and not for resale;
• Investment incentives and tax breaks - reduced tax rates or their complete absence, lower exchange control;
• Minor restrictions or their total lack of ownership of production assets for foreigners;
• Simplified standards for workplace equipment, wages, security issues and so on;
• Affordable buildings and land plots - the opportunity to equip warehouses and production facilities on the basis of the minimum rental price;
• Affordable and affordable services and infrastructure - subsidies for utilities, cheap gas, water, electricity, renovated roads, provision of transport services;
• Reduced standards of environmental pollution, its protection;
• The availability of a large number of cheap labor, the absence of trade unions and other workers' organizations;
• Open access to markets - both internal and external;
• Long-term absence of income tax;
• Carrying out of customs procedures directly on the territory of the enterprise or accelerated obtaining of permits, etc.

Types of special economic zones

As we have already said, all zones with special economic conditions can be conditionally divided into such types:

• Industrial - production - represent a huge complex, focused on the production of a large number of a certain group of goods;
• Free trade zones - territories that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the customs service; In such zones, not only the sale of products is carried out, but also its storage, testing, packaging, and so on;
• Tourist - territories with a developing tourism sector, in which there are special conditions for entrepreneurs;
• Service - the territories on which export-import and financial activities are carried out, carried out on special terms; A classic example is offshore zones;
• Scientific and technical, innovative technologies - techno parks, areas where special development and scientific research is being carried out in this or that area of management.

"Alabuga"

Now let's take a closer look at some Russian SEZs. Let's start, perhaps, with the SEZ PPT "Alabuga". This industrial-production zone is located in the Republic of Tatarstan, near the city of Yelabuga, just 25 km from Naberezhnye Chelny.

Specialization here is quite diverse:

• Production of buses and automotive components;
• The production of household appliances;
• Pharmaceutical production;
• The production of furniture;
• High-technology chemical production;
• Aviation construction.

In this territory 42 residents are registered, and more than 4,5 thousand people are employed. The area of the zone is 20 square kilometers.

In order to become a resident of this complex, you need:

• Register your company on the territory of Elabuga municipality;
• To sign an agreement with the management of the SEZ, by undertaking to invest in its funds an investment of at least 1 million euros for the first year and total investment for the entire period of the contract - no less than 10 million euros.

Entrepreneurs who have become residents of the economic zone "Alabuga" can count on such preferences:

• A free customs zone in which foreign equipment can be placed without paying VAT and customs duties;
• The absence of an export duty for the export of manufactured products;
• Complete exemption from the imposition of transport, land tax and other payments to the budget of the republic;
• The income tax rate for the first five years is only 2%, the second five-year plan is 7%, then, up to 2055, 15.5%;
• Land plots at a very reasonable price, free access to utilities, electricity, gas, heat, sewerage supplied to the boundaries of the plot;
• Exemption from property tax and other preferences.

SEZ "Dubna"

This is a technology innovation zone, established in 2005 on the basis of the RF Government Resolution No. 781.

The territory of the SEZ "Dubna" has an area of about 200 hectares and is divided into three sections:

• A town of programmers;
• A platform of nanotechnologies;
• A site of nuclear physical technologies.

The priority areas of this SEZ are:

• Design of complex technical systems;
• Biotechnology;
• Complex medical technologies;
• Information Technology;
• Composite materials ;
• Nuclear physics and nanotechnology.

Residents of this zone can be both IP and commercial organizations. The only exception is unitary enterprises and foreign firms. To become a resident of the SEZ "Dubna", you need to register an enterprise on the territory of the municipality and conclude an agreement with the management bodies on implementation of innovative activities.

Residents of this special economic zone can also rely on privileged conditions in the field of taxation and other types of support. Tax benefits can be:

• Absence of VAT when exporting goods abroad;
• Zero rate of income tax, credited to the federal budget before 01/01/2018;
• 13.5% - income tax to be credited to the local budget;
• 14% - payments to off-budget funds;
• 0% - land tax rate for a period of 5 years, property tax for 10 years, transport tax for 5 years.

Residents are also entitled to other preferences:

• Preferential rent of premises and land plots;
• Free connection to engineering networks and communications;
• Accelerated execution of documents for land plots;
• Free customs zone;
• High-speed data transmission systems.

Also, residents are offered conditions of a free customs zone, under which the import duty on foreign goods and VAT is not paid when exporting Russian.

"The Altai Valley"

SEZ TRT "Altai Valley" is a tourist and recreational area. It was established in February 2007 on the basis of the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 67. The privileged provision is envisaged for 49 years.

This zone is located 12 km from the city of Gorno-Altaisk, the center of the Altai Republic. Here, about 2,500 people are provided with new jobs. The territory offers unique opportunities for its residents. Cooperation is based on the principles of public and private partnership. This means that the creation of all necessary infrastructure is financed from the budget, and the creation of tourist facilities is the share of private investment.

The state guarantees significant administrative advantages:

• Non-interference in the implementation of investment projects;
• Simplified format of checks;
• Single window mode;
• Registration of lease for land plots with a regulated legal status.

Investors are also waiting for tax benefits:

• 0% - the tax rate on property, as well as land tax for 5 years;
• Payment for the lease of land plots - no more than 2% of their cadastral value;
• Lowering the transport tax rate;
• Reduction of income tax to 15.5%.

"Turquoise Katun"

SEZ TRT "Turquoise Katun" - another recreational and tourist area. It has the largest area among all existing - 3326 hectares. "Turquoise Katun" is positioned as the first and largest zone of natural and extreme mountain tourism, divided into two parts. The first is for young people. There are centers of alpine skiers, rock-climbers, rafters, trackers, a youth hotel and other adapted infrastructure. The second - for wealthy tourists. There are comfortable and expensive hotels and other amenities.

This economic zone, in fact, is just beginning its development, but already has a significant number of investors ready to invest money on attractive terms. After all, residents are also offered benefits and preferences.

"Titanium Valley"

SEZ "Titanium Valley", created in the Sverdlovsk region, is also quite unique. The special economic zone is a titanium industry, exclusive in the territory of the Russian Federation. Here, substantial benefits are provided to enterprises focused on the production and high-tech processing of world-class products. Priority industries here are the processing of titanium and the manufacture of products from it, the manufacture of equipment for metallurgical complexes and engineering, the production of construction materials.

«Ulyanovsk»

SEZ PT "Ulyanovsk" is also focused on machine and instrumentation. Here in honor such kinds of activity:

• Instrument making, electronics production;
• Aircraft building;
• Maintenance of aircraft;
• Production of electrical equipment;
• Production of composite materials;
• Other branches of engineering.

In conclusion, I would like to say about non-resident entrepreneurs, who operate in the territory of a particular SEZ. Most often, they also have the opportunity to rely on part of the preferences provided for residents, as the conditions of their activities should be discussed with the management of the SEZ.

For example, in an economic zone such as the Kaliningrad Region, a reduced income tax applies to all enterprises, regardless of the type of economic activity and group of goods. That is why the opening of a business is the most interesting in the territory of the SEZ. Of course, if it comes to earnings.