Russian software developers may face stricter requirements for inclusion in the national software register, according to a roadmap prepared by VK, Kaspersky Laboratory, 1C, and Rostelecom. As part of an agreement with the government, the document “New Sete-Sistematic PO” proposes a change to government Decree No. 1236 of November 16, 2015. The new regulations would require developers of applied software to support at least two domestic operating systems and two processor architectures, while operating system creators would need to ensure compatibility with the Elbrus and Baikal processors.
In addition, the roadmap suggests that other classes of software must support at least two of three hardware platforms and two operating systems from the register. Deadlines for confirmation of compliance would be established for different software classes. The regulatory requirements for state orders and grant support for domestic OS development would be changed, with developers of state information systems required to ensure compatibility with registered OSs, and existing systems put in stages toward domestic OS compatibility.
While some participants in the Russian software market view the new roadmap as a means of reducing dependence on Western software and raising technological sovereignty, others contend that the proposed requirements are not “domestic” as two of the three processor architectures are foreign. Ilya Massukh, head of the Center for Competencies in ICT, confirmed the proposal’s existence and predicts the new regulations will be adopted in the second or third quarter of 2021.