Abstract: This article examines the correlation between the country’s investment attractiveness and the level of corruption therein. The key goal of this research consist in the creation of comprehensive curriculum for anti-corruption education and outreach, the implementation of which would significantly reduce the level of corruption in Russia, and thereby improve its investment attractiveness on the international arena. The object of this research is the mechanisms for improving investment attractiveness of the country in the global market; one of such mechanisms is the reduction of corruption component. The subject of this research is the practices of anti-corruption education and outreach used by the world leading countries aimed at lowering the level of corruption. The information framework is comprised  of the official statistics of the World Bank, as well as expert reports published in the media. Based on the established correlation between these factors, the article provides the examples of measures for reducing the level of corruption implemented in Russia and the leading world countries. The result of the work consists in the development of comprehensive curriculum for anti-corruption education, which can be used on the regional or federal level for achieving a synergistic effect. This article is intended for the scholars and pedagogues, officers of the executive branch, state and municipal officials responsible for the implementation of national anti-corruption plans, as well as other experts dealing with anti-corruption issues.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of free economic zones (FEZs) and their types including those that are located in the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The object of the research is a set of legal relations arising in the process of implementing and operating a special administrative legal regime in the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The subject of the research is a set of legal acts regulating the mechanism of introducing and implementing a special administrative legal regime of investment and enterpreneurial activity in the Republic of Crimea. The authors have used different methodological approaches in the course of achieving research objectives including systems approach to analyze the current system of legal regulation in FEZs and evolutionary approach allowing to define internal development patterns of the special administrative legal regime in the territory of FEZs. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the authors provide results of the theoretical summary which allows to prove the profitability of special administrative legal regimes of foreign trade activity in Russia aimed at creation of 'growth points' in certain parts of the country as well as to develop legal instruments to increase their efficiency as an important elementn of the mechanism of state regulation of the economic sphere. The outcome of the research is the authors' recommendations on improving legislation that regulates activity of FEZs in the Republic of Crimea for the purpose of developing the administrative mechanism of full integration of these regions into the economic system of Russia. 

Abstract: The object of this research is the gold reserve of the state and its role in the national and global economy. The subject is the tools and methods of formation, preservation, and exhaustion of the golden reserve. The article is dedicated to the questions of formation of the golden reserves in composition of the foreign-exchange reserves of the state, their growing role in the globalizing economy, process of repatriation of gold, which create the new geography of its territorial preservation due to the political and economic steps from the side of the United States Federal Reserve System. The main conclusion lies in emphasis of the growing role of the monetary gold in composition of the foreign-exchange reserves of the developed states. The authors determine that at present stage the function of formation of the reserve currency is taken on board by the countries that attempt making their national currency as the global means of payment. The scientific novelty consists in analysis of the principles of preservation of the foreign-exchange reserves, as well as identification of reasons of the increasing requirements of the countries towards the United States regarding the repatriation from the golden reserve.  

Abstract: The research object is the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The research subject covers integration mechanisms of interaction between the EAEU member-states, including political, financial, technological, and others. The author studies the modern trends of decrease in trading volumes in the EAEU in particular groups of goods, caused by the sanctions. Particular attention is paid to the consideration of the current instruments of foreign trade activation within the EAEU – the creation of Eurasian technological platforms and special economic zones for the development of innovative sectors of industry. The research methodology incudes the methods of system and statistical analysis, and the method of economic planning and prognostication. The author reveals and substantiates the key role of Russia within the EAEU, and the necessity to search for the new ways of economic strengthening of this integrational association. To strengthen the EAEU’s role in global trade, it is necessary to develop and strengthen cooperation ties between its member-states and increase the mutual trade volume. In future, it will help enter the external markets with joint, more competitive offers, and shift from the resource-based to the commodity structure of export. 

Abstract: The object of this research is the efficiency of functionality of the renewed institution of special economic zones (SEZ). The subject of this research is the existing mechanism of assessment of the efficiency of work of SEZ under the changed economic conditions. The article performs an analysis of the flaws and violations in the work of the Russian SEZ, as well as demarcated the parameters of assessment of SEZ efficiency in general and efficiency of the functionality of SEZ in particular. The authors analyze the combination of indexes aimed at examination of functionality of the special economic zones in the Russian Federation, as well as international level. The propositions regarding the ways of adjustment of the current Russian methodic of assessment of SEZ are being formulated. The rules of assessment of the efficiency of functionality of SEZ were introduced by the Russian government in 2013, and did not undergo any changes until the present time. Thus, the scientific novelty lies in suggestions pertaining to the improvement of this mechanism, considering the international experience and results of the audits of SEZ by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.

Abstract: The research object of the set of relations connected with the development of investment activities in the Republic of Crimea. The research subject is the system of statutory instruments regulating the mechanism of establishment and application of investment activities development instruments provided by the restored free economic zone institution. The result of the study is the conceptual model of investment activities development in the Republic of Crimea with the help of the free economic zone. The model is a system description of an imitation form of public administration in the sphere of the free economic zone development on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The main purpose of the Model establishment is the provision of a comprehensive integration of the region in the system of a single legal platform for a complex functioning of the free economic zone on its territory. The research methodology comprises the dialectical method and the related general and specific methods (the system and evolutional approaches, comparative-legal analysis, the method of modeling structural-logical and functional algorithms). The authors analyze the institutions of a special economic zone and a free economic zone, and propose the conceptual model of investment activities development in the Republic of Crimea. The proposed mechanisms of investment activities intensification can be used by the companies for output product increase, improvement of logistic sphere, and optimization of tax and customs payment flows. The implementation of the authors’ proposals about amending the statutory instruments of the Russian Federation will give the opportunity to use them in the work of the supervisory bodies thus simplifying the work of enterprises and making it more transparent, increasing the investors’ interest in their presence on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. 

Abstract: The research object is Russia’s value of international trade in the agro-industrial sector. The research subject is the mechanisms of optimization of trade turnover in the context of the modern trade relations, including the creation of the new type of special economic zones. The authors consider the modern tendencies of the turnover decrease in particular groups of goods, connected with sanctions. Special attention is given to the study of the existing instruments of Russia’s foreign trade activation – special economic zones. The authors analyze their activities and prognosticate their development prospects. The research methodology includes the methods of system and statistical analysis and the method of economic planning and prognostication. The authors conclude that the current problems of Russian agricultural producers can be solved with the help of special economic zones. The authors explain the reasonability of creation of agro-industrial special economic zones on the federal level in order to use them for the expansion of the volume of food commodities and raw materials production and the agro-industrial sector strengthening. 

Abstract: The object of this research is the foreign trade policy of Russia pertaining to the import and export of food products. The subject of this research is the various forms and methods that ensure saturation of Russia’s food market with domestic goods. Due to the fact that the food policy is a part of economic state policy, it is worth noting that dependence of state food policy upon the volume of imports carries a direct threat to national security. This issue became especially important after the economic sanctions introduced with regards to Russia. Therefore, it is important to analyze and understand the causes and consequences of such dependence and attempt to find ways and means of protection of supply of domestic market with domestic products. The scientific novelty consists in the complex analysis of the export and import transactions in sales of food products over the period of 2014-2015 when Russia has undergone the external sanctions and applied countersanctions. The implementation of sanctions without a doubt affected the foreign trade, as well as manufacturing of agricultural and food products in the Russian Federation. At the same time, on the background of a certain decrease in import, we can observe the manifestation of the trend on increasing the supply and approaching the domestic food market of the new importers from the countries of global community, which demonstrated the difficulty of the rapid increase of production inside the Russian Federation. Thus, the authors substantiate the positions about the necessity of changing the vector of realization and formulation of the new agricultural policy, which require significant financial and time costs. The work underlines that it is necessary to search for other ways of creating the favorable environment for manufacturers of the agricultural production, the realization of which can be performed in the context of establishment of the special economic zones of agro-industrial type.

Abstract: The object of the present research is special economic areas (SEAs). The subject of the research is the instruments and mechanisms of implementing special capacities of tax, customs and investment policies in special economic areas. The research problem is the analysis of tax, customs, and institutional mechanisms of SEAs through analyzing performance mechanisms of their international predecessor, free economic areas (FEAs). The purpose of the research is to analyze activity of various types of SEAs in Russia, evaluate and analyze their efficiency and offer new ways and mechanisms for the development. In the course of the research the authors have used the method of the comparative analysis of various economic indicators; evolutionary method allowing to define internal development patterns of the research obejct, and graphical method of presenting structural-logical schemes. The result of the research is the critical analysis of current SEAs of different kinds and the mechanism and procedure for creating a new type of SEA (agroindustrial) aimed at import substitution of food products in Russia which is directly related to the food security of Russia. The scientific novelty of the research includes the description of the SEAs development concept in the spheres of tourism and agriculture. 

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the solution of the issue of returning the capital from offshore back to Russia (de-offshorization). The object of this research is the world offshore centers that provide tax “sanctuary” for the Russian capital. The research focuses on the mechanisms, methods, and tools that would allow returning this capital back into the Russian economy. The article analyzes the causes of appearance of offshore zones and their functional direction, and unravels the notion of offshore business. It further analyzes the main incentives that are offered to the residents of the offshore zones. An evaluation is given to the bases for emerging and the scale of functionality of the global offshore business. The author examines the causes for the capital outflow from Russia into the offshore zones and proposes the organizational-legal measures in order to resolve this problem. The result of this research became the analysis of the causes and consequences of the offshorization of global economic system, assessment of the negative effects of this phenomenon for Russia, and development of number of proposals on de-offshorization of the Russian economy in order to form a comprehensive financial mechanism that would stimulate the development of investment attractiveness of the country.

Abstract: Strengthening of international competition caused losses in the global market for the Russian enterprises and directly threatened  national markets. The lack of investments and new innovative technologies "kicks" the Russian machine and engineering industry further and further away from the progressive Western companies.  The Government of the Russian Federation is willing to achieve faster economic growth by attracting investments and innovative development via revival of the Special Economic Zones. In spite of the presence of the Federal Law  N. 116-FZ of 22 July, 2005 on SEZ, there are both legal and organizational problems in their functioning. Due to this fact it is necessary to study economic, legal, organizational and financial elements of functioning of the SEZ institution in Russia and abroad in order to form an efficient mechanism for the development of the leading economic industries. The legislation on SEZ should support innovative development and spending on Research and Advanced Development by introducing technology adoption and forming business idea incubators for their further commercialization by transfer of serial production into the SEZ.  The result of this study was a conceptual overview of SEZ as a full-value international mechanism facilitating investment attractiveness and competitiveness of state and its institutions within certain branches.

Abstract: A good level of a socially oriented government is mostly defined not only by the government's attetion towards national housing policy but also the achieved results of implementing this policy. The housing issue is one of the most important problems to be solved at all levels of state administration. In 2002 that was declared to be the target of a national project ('Housing' Federal Target Program 2002 - 2010). In order to achieve the targets of that program both a number of regulatory acts aimed at creation of legal grounds for increasing citizens' paying capability and availability of new and modern housing have been made at both federal and regional levels. 
However, despite all the efforts in this sphere, today the government appears to be unable to solve the housing problem on their own. Therefore, it is very important to study basic directions and modern trends in implementatin of the housing policy and development of the construction sector in Russia in order to find better opportunities to provide citizens with places to live. 

Abstract: This article explains the concept of tax havens and examines the modern mechanism of their legal regulation. The author analyzes the reasons of tax heaven emergence, as well as their functional designation and geographical location. He also examines the special tax haven legal regime of incentives for investors and the reasons for the current poor state of tax heaven-related business in Russia, offering ways to improve tax heaven areas in Russia.