On July 23, 2020, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs held a meeting on technical regulation in construction.
Chaired by RSPP President Alexander Shokhin with the participation of the first Deputy Minister of construction, housing and utilities of the Russian Federation Irek Faizullin, and representatives of major companies and industry associations discussed the questions of sovershenstvovania regulations in the construction sector, including the proposed Ministry of construction of Russia amendments to the Federal law «Technical regulations about safety of buildings and constructions».
In addition, the parties discussed ways to improve the regulatory framework in construction, as well as proposals for the standard of work of construction companies during the pandemic.
RSPP President Alexander Shokhin noted that the issue of updating mandatory requirements in construction requires urgent solutions, business has many fundamental comments on the draft law prepared by the Ministry of Construction of Russia. So, it is proposed to introduce «building standards» – a new type of mandatory regulatory documents for the current legislation, which is not provided for by the current legislation in the field of standardization.
The proposed mechanism for ensuring the safety of buildings and structures will lead to the need for mandatory compliance with both building codes and national standards and codes of practice. This will significantly increase the administrative burden on the construction business, as well as lead to the impossibility of applying innovative solutions and technologies in construction.
«There will be not just a rise in price, but an extension of the design time. Therefore, one of the tasks is to reduce the number of rules and regulations, which is gradually decreasing, but the concern of companies remains. Compared to similar facilities abroad, there are too many standards. Construction and environmental expertise should be arranged according to the principle of «one window». Business has always proceeded from the need to eliminate excessive administrative barriers, and not to build new ones, « Alexander Shokhin said.
The Chairman of the RSPP Committee on Technical Regulation, Standardization and Conformity Assessment, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pipe Metallurgical Company Dmitry Pumpyansky and the first Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Technical Regulation, Standardization and Conformity Assessment Andrey Lotsmanov confirmed their desire to join the work on improving the regulatory framework in this area, to establish a coherent system of interaction in the field of technical regulation in construction.\The speakers agreed that in the case of the development of codes of rules for building materials, products and structures, a parallel system of standardization will be created.
Leonid Kazinets, Co-chairman of the RSPP Commission on Construction and Housing Policy, Chairman of the Management Board of Barkley Corporation, warned against a situation where the new regulations do not help builders, but become additional barriers.
«You can not complicate access to materials, this will ultimately lead to an increase in the cost of apartments. Many regulations are duplicative and parallel, it is time to cancel them, « he said, adding that if the situation does not change, 80% of developers can leave the market.
Marina Ivanova, Vice-President of the Russian Steel Association, spoke about the unjustified delay in the delivery of objects due to various examinations and approvals.
«There is a lengthening of the implementation of projects, and this is against the background of the necessary revival of the investment development of the industry. The most correct approach is to return to the idea of Glavgosexpertiza, «One window», - she said.
Sergey Gureev, Head of the working group on capital construction in the Fuel and Energy Sector under the RSPP Commission for the Oil and Gas Industry, Director of the Capital Construction Department of Gazpromneft, supported the idea of creating a «One window».
Executive Director of JSC «NIGAS» Sergey Chekalin also said that the availability of additional expertise significantly lengthens project schedules.
Following the results of the proposals, First Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation Irek Fayzullin noted that the department supports many of them, but there are a number of controversial and acute points.
An agreement was also reached on the formats for further joint work of the Ministry of Construction of Russia and the RSPP on improving the regulatory framework in construction, including technical regulation.
