Protecting the interests of residents: participation in a meeting on insurance premiums for SMEs
The management company of the Saint Petersburg Special Economic Zone (SEZ) participated in a meeting dedicated to the application of a single reduced insurance premium rate for small and medium-sized businesses in priority economic sectors. The event was initiated at the request of residents of the special economic zone, who faced changes in conditions effective January 1, 2026.
The meeting was also attended by:
Denis Chetyrbok, Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, and Irina Ivanova, Chair of the Standing Committee on Industry, Economy, and Entrepreneurship of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg;
representatives of the Saint Petersburg Finance Committee;
the Federal Tax Service for Saint Petersburg; the Committee on Industrial Policy, Innovation, and Trade of Saint Petersburg; and other interested agencies.
During the meeting, participants discussed new criteria for applying the reduced 15% rate. According to these criteria, the primary activity of a company registered in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities/Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs must comply with the list of priority industries approved by the Russian Government, and at least 70% of its revenue for each reporting period must come from this activity.
Particular attention was paid to the implications for high-tech enterprises—SEZ residents. Personnel costs at such companies reach 30-50% of total expenses due to the need to attract qualified engineers, researchers, and operators of complex equipment. The transition to a general insurance premium rate could lead to a 10-15% increase in costs per employee with an average salary, which would require a significant revision of the business model.
Tamara Rondaleva, General Director of the Saint Petersburg SEZ, commented on the meeting's results:
In the SEZ, 70% of the total number of residents are SMEs. They paid 322 million rubles in insurance premiums for 2025. The transition to a standard tariff could increase costs per employee with an average salary by 10-15%, which will require a significant revision of our companies' business models. It is critical for high-tech companies to continually update their product lines and technological processes. Reducing R&D investment due to the increased tax burden will lead to a loss of competitive advantage, a lag behind foreign manufacturers, and a reduction in export potential. Following the meeting, we agreed to submit proposals for mitigating the situation from the regional leadership to the federal center.
Following the meeting, the participants confirmed their intention to jointly develop mechanisms to mitigate the negative impact of the new requirements and maintain favorable conditions for the development of high-tech businesses in St. Petersburg.
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