Press "Enter" to skip to content

Russian Pension Fund also wants a piece of RAO’s “royalties pie”

Russian pension Fund has inspected Russian authors society in order to be sure whether RAO has paid all pension insurance fees. Apart from details of this inspection, which are confidential according to representative of pension fund and not so important, there are more urgent issue – the reason of inspection, in other words why Russian Authors Society did not pay these fees.

The subject of inspection was insurance fees due to pension fund for the period from 2013 to 2015. As a result of this “event” Russian authors society should pay more 200 million Russian roubles as insurance fees and penalties. But why only RAO has been inspected? What about VOIS? VOIS (accreditation for public performance, neighbouring rights) and RSP (private copying levy) also are inspected.

RAO believes decision of Russian pension fund is not in accordance with applicable Russian law. It also does not agree with sum – 200 million roubles and is ready to go to the court. RAO has filed its petition to pension fund. RAO believes it has not to pay insurance fees. But pension fund thinks different. VOIS has been also “punished” – 19 thousands Russian roubles, RSP – 71622 Russian roubles.

Few months ago chairman of pension fund has notified deputy of Russian labor minister that Russian accredited collecting societies did not pay insurance fees during three years. Russian labor ministry has agreed with pension fund that accredited CMOs must pay 22% from collected royalties to pension fund and 5.1% to federal fund of mandatory medical insurance. But how it must be done technically the Russian government did not define. They simply must, but how they will do it – there is no clear answer.