Russia brings in Foreign Accounts Information Law

Moscow, July 30 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian citizens, failing to inform the tax agencies about their foreign banking accounts, can now be penalised with President Vladimir Putin Monday signing a law for this purpose.

Russian citizens failing to inform the country's tax agencies after having opened or closed a bank account abroad, or about changes in a foreign account's particulars, face fines from 4,000 to 5,000 rubles (up to $155), the state pravo.gov.ru website said.

According to the law, government officials will be fined from 40,000 to 50,000 rubles (up to $1,500) for offences, while companies will be fined from 800,000 rubles to one million rubles (up to $31,000) for violations.

The Russian tax agencies must be informed of all operations with clients' accounts in banks located in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states, or in states participating in the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering group, says the law.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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