UEFA Euro 2020 will be held in 13 European countries. In Russia, the games will be played in St. Petersburg. As part of the Russian bid book for Euro 2020, the Russian Government provided several guarantees to the UEFA. In this regard, the Cabinet of Ministers has prepared and introduced to the State Duma a package of draft laws aimed at creating a legal framework for the comprehensive implementation of these guarantees and ensuring the holding of UEFA Euro 2020 matches in Russia.
UEFA Euro 2020 matches in St. Petersburg, as noted in the explanatory note to the first bill, are an opportunity for further more efficient use of infrastructure of the 2018 FIFA World Cup: all necessary infrastructure, including the main tournament facility — Saint- Petersburg stadium, as well as operational groundwork and plans created in St. Petersburg during the preparation and holding of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, will be fully mobilized during UEFA Euro 2020.
”No additional capital investments in infrastructure will be required,“ the document says. Only operating costs directly related to the organization of the match and fan zones are foreseen.
The draft law provides visa-free travel to Russia for UEFA Euro 2020 spectators with valid identity documents and for UEFA volunteers with ordinary humanitarian visas.
In addition, it is proposed to partially extend the application of a number of laws adopted before the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup because of the similarity of the organization process of these competitions with the UEFA Euro 2020.
In accordance with the initiative, the Russian Football Union will be responsible for the organization of UEFA Euro 2020 matches on the basis of the agreement concluded with UEFA. It provides the Russian Government possibility to approve the program of UEFA Euro 2020 preparation, including a list of infrastructure facilities and activities. Within the framework of this program, it is necessary to implement the measures specified by the government guarantees in the field of sustainable development, the UEFA Euro 2020 promotion, the establishment of fan zones and transportation.
UEFA EURO 2020 spectators will be given the right to use transport for free. At the same time, transportation agents will get compensation for lost revenues.
UEFA as the organizer of a sports tournament will be granted to establish mandatory rules for sale and use of tickets for UEFA Euro 2020 events.
It is also planned to regulate the hotel services prices in connection with the UEFA Euro 2020 activities.
The second bill is aimed at implementing the guarantees of the Russian Government to UEFA relating to tax and fee exemption in connection with the the preparation and holding of the UEFA Euro 2020. Thus, the document proposes to provide tax incentives in relation to value added tax, individual incomes, the profits of organizations, state fees, transport tax, organizations property tax, payments for self-insurance contributions. In addition, individual income tax relief and self-insurance contributions relate only to foreign citizens and persons without citizenship involved in the preparation and holding of UEFA Euro 2020.
The second bill is temporary in nature and will be applied until 31 December 2020.
