The position of the Russian Forest Association on the regulation of priority investment projects (PIP)

In July 2022, the Russian Forest National Timber Association initiated a meeting in the State Duma on improving legislation in the field of priority investment projects in the field of forest development. There were business, legislators, representatives of relevant departments. The exchange of views resulted in several fundamental proposals.

Thus, we consider it necessary to provide investors with the opportunity to conclude lease agreements for forest plots from the date the investment project is included in the list of investment projects.

Another deterrent for investors today is the possibility of timber harvesting before the commissioning of the infrastructure envisaged by the project. Now it's 6 months old. We believe that it is advisable to provide for an earlier period for the development of forests - at least 12 months before the start of such work.

It is also important to extend the implementation of investment projects for another year due to complicated logistics and the refusal of manufacturers from unfriendly countries to supply timber processing equipment and logging equipment. This will give investors additional confidence that the state and business operate in the same logic.

At the same time, we are not talking about the widespread release of investors from liability - we are talking about temporary measures.

President of the Russian Forest Association Olga Kalyuzhnaya in an interview with Timber Industry Complex of Siberia