OREANDA-NEWS. On 29 July 2009 was announced, that the expected abolition of mandatory licensing of retail trade does not mean the state will phase out regulation of that sector, Deputy Trade Ministry Mikhail Sventitsky told reporters.

“We did not welcome the initiative to lift the licensing requirement, because it would be hard for the ministry to do without effective levers,” Sventitsky said.

“But as we addressed the efforts of the country to liberalize the regulatory framework, we agreed to have retail licensing abolished. It does not mean this essential economic sector will not be regulated at the state level. The state will have more liberal levers, this is it,” Sventitsky said.