Participants of the national payment system allowed foreign infrastructure

From the wording of the bill "On National Payment System (NPS), prepared for the second reading, disappeared ban on the use of infrastructure for foreign companies participating NPCs. If the bill passes in this form, Visa and MasterCard, which account for up to 90% of the Russian card market, will begin work within NPCs with a minimum cost. About this newspaper Kommersant on Friday, May 27. On the proposed changes to the draft law "On the national payment system," said on Thursday at the XX International Banking Congress in St. Petersburg deputy Liana Duma Banking Committee Pepelyaev. According to her, the new law is supposed to allow payment systems, including international ones, to use the services of operating centers located abroad. Must be Russian settlement and billing clearing houses. Clearing Center, daily processing only the information on the implementation of the transfer of funds, as well as the billing center, producing debt and crediting of bank accounts of those systems will need to register in Russia as a legal entity, its activities will govern the Central Bank. However, the processing of information on the operations of international payment systems will be able to carry on operating centers outside of Russia. The publication notes that the issue of possible restrictions on the activities of international payment systems in Russia in connection with the adoption of the Law on the National Payment System "has been raised repeatedly over the past two years. The need to reduce dependence on the international payment systems in December 2009, said President Dmitry Medvedev. Law on the NPC Treasury rewrote several times, to amend the State Duma version of the special requirements for foreign companies have not spoken a word. In December, the bill passed first reading, despite strong criticism from MPs. The new version of the bill prepared for the second reading in March, again appeared on the Safety of information on transactions of Russian citizens, sparking concern Visa and MasterCard. Then the representatives of the companies stated that the construction of all infrastructure in Russia will require large financial costs, which lead to higher prices of services for consumers. The MPs, in turn, pointed out that a major cause for concern is the situation where 90% of the market belongs to foreign companies that are not controlled by Russian regulators. According to Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Savatyugin, norms embodied in the latest version of the bill, represent the most appropriate requirements for payment systems. "We are grateful to the MPs for what they have listened to the Ministry of Finance, despite the fact that it took them to a few months", - said Mr. Savatyugin. However, it is too early to say in what form the bill will be passed on second reading. On Monday, the meeting is expected profile of the State Duma, which will be approved the final text. According to a source of Kommersant, familiar with the situation, recently held several high-level meetings, where the question on the activities of international payment systems in Russia. On Thursday in the MasterCard did not express an opinion on the upcoming changes, noting that the document had not even been published, which is why review it is not possible. Visa representatives also declined to comment, saying that to comment on the law makes sense only after the president will sign it.