Russia, Moscow: The Upper House of the Russian Parliament approved on Friday, February 25, without any deliberations the law “On Restrictions of Retail Sales and Consumption in Public Places of Beer and Beverages Produced on its Basis, Itar-Tass communicated. The document was supported by 118 senators.

The president turned down the document on December 21, after the State Duma and the Upper House had approved it in the autumn of 2004, and passed it on for further finalisation.

The Conciliation Commission, which was formed in this connection, took into account the president’s remarks and proposals and submitted the law for the lower house’s reconsideration. The State Duma approved the agreed version of the law on February 9.

The federal law limits the retail sale of beer and its consumption in public places “in order to safeguard morality and the health of people, primarily of minors”. The law covers the sale of beer, containing more than 0.5 per cent of ethyl alcohol, and of beverages produced on its basis. There are no limitations on non-alcoholic beer (up to 0.5 per cent strong).

The law “bans the retail sale of beer and beverages produced on its basis in children’s, educational and medical organizations, on all types of public transport, both urban and suburban, within organizations of culture, health building and sports structures, as well as to minors “in any public place”.

Local self-government bodies are vested with the right to determine on their respective territories the public catering establishments, where the retail sale and consumption of beer is permitted. Deleted from the revised law’s list of places, where the sale of beer is banned, is the phrase: “and on adjoining territories”.

The law will come into force thirty days after its official publication.

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