Technical

Digital Innovation

Technological solutions based on emerging digital technologies.

How the laws define this

Both instruments establish that digital innovations constitute the subject matter or testing focus of experimental legal regimes (ELRs). Their key point of divergence lies in how they define the nature and regulatory status of the qualifying subject matter. The Federal Law on Experimental Legal Regimes in the Sphere of Digital Innovations (Federal Law No. 258-FZ) frames innovation broadly around technological solutions employing emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, robotics, and big data—that are not adequately addressed by existing regulatory frameworks. By contrast, the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of February 17, 2024 No. 185 takes a narrower approach, defining digital innovation as new or substantially improved products, processes, or methods. Rather than highlighting regulatory gaps, this Decree conditions innovation on implementation within legally specified areas and the use of specific technologies explicitly approved by the Government or the Bank of Russia.

Synthesised from the 2 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.

How jurisdictions differ

What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.

Jurisdiction	Instrument	Status	What is distinctive
Russia	Federal Law on Experimental Legal Regimes in the Sphere of Digital Innovations (Federal Law No. 258-FZ)	In Force (Amended)	Adds specific examples like artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, robotics, virtual/augmented reality, big data analytics, and other emerging technologies not adequately addressed by current regulatory frameworks, eligible for testing under ELRs.
Tatarstan, Russia	Tatarstan Autonomous Vehicle Experimental Legal Regime (ELR) Program	In Force	Broadens to products, processes, or methods including management and sales that are new or substantially improved in legally specified areas using government or Bank of Russia approved technologies.

What it triggers

In Russia under Federal Law No. 258-FZ, it enables organizations to test under regulatory sandboxes with temporary exemptions from certain regulatory requirements.source
In Tatarstan, Russia under the Autonomous Vehicle ELR Program, it creates a flexible regulatory sandbox for testing and deploying highly automated vehicles in logistics.source

Definitions (2)

Technological solutions based on digital technologies—including artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, robotics, virtual/augmented reality, big data analytics, and other emerging technologies—that are not adequately addressed by current regulatory frameworks and are eligible for testing under ELRs.

Federal Law on Experimental Legal Regimes in the Sphere of Digital Innovations (Federal Law No. 258-FZ)Definition 1 of 2

Products (goods, works, services), processes, or methods (including management and sales) that are new or substantially improved, implemented in legally specified areas and employing technologies approved by the Government or the Bank of Russia, which constitute the subject matter of ELRs.

Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of February 17, 2024 No. 185 "On the establishment of an experimental legal regime in the field of digital innovations and the approval of the Program of the experimental legal regime in the field of digital innovations for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems in Innopolis (Republic of Tatarstan)"Definition 2 of 2

Not to be confused with

Experimental Legal Regime (ELR)

Experimental Legal Regime (ELR) is the time-limited legal regime for testing, whereas digital innovation is the technological solutions or products tested within it.

pilot testing/sandbox

Pilot testing/sandbox refers to the regulated exceptions for controlled testing, while digital innovation is the specific technologies or products subject to such testing.

Questions and answers

What technologies qualify as digital innovations under Russian federal law?

Technological solutions based on digital technologies like AI, blockchain, IoT, robotics, VR/AR, big data, and others not covered by current regulations qualify. They must be eligible for testing under ELRs.

What does digital innovation cover in Tatarstan's ELR program?

It covers new or substantially improved products, processes, or methods like management and sales in specified areas using approved technologies. This applies to testing autonomous vehicles in logistics.

How do these definitions enable testing of digital innovations?

Federal Law No. 258-FZ provides regulatory sandboxes with temporary exemptions. Tatarstan's program offers a flexible sandbox for autonomous vehicles.