Russia Changes Data Protection Storage Law

In July 2014 the Lower Chamber of the Russian Parliament ("Duma") passed Federal Law No. 242-FZ of 21 July 2014, sub-titled: "On introduction of amendments into certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation relative to clarification of procedure of processing of personal data in information and communication networks". 

The law states that all operators of personal data who deal with the personal data of Russian nationals are obliged to use databases and servers physically located in the Russian Federation. An operator of personal data in the context of this law is, generally speaking, any company which collects and processes personal data.

Initially it was planned that these requirements would come into force from 1 September 2016, but the effective date was changed at the end of last year with Federal Law No. 526-FZ;  it now comes into effect on 1 September 2015.