MOSCOW, October 21 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Supreme Court has proposed amendments to the Commercial Procedure Code and Tax Code introducing mediation.

A suit should be filed with a commercial court only after the parties have taken steps to reach a settlement within 30 days after the claim is served on the defendant with certain exclusions provided either by legislation or contract, according to a bill discussed at the plenary meeting of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Amendments won't affect bankruptcy proceedings, corporate disputes, disputes over rights and legitimate interests of a group of people, and suits seeking to collect compensation for failure to consider a dispute within a reasonable time stipulated by the federal law.

Amendments proposed by the Supreme Court in fact revive the procedure which existed in commercial litigation till July 1995 when it was abolished.

Introducing mediation procedure would enhance efficiency of the judicial system by reducing the number of cases submitted with commercial courts in Russia, an explanatory note to the bill reads.

In the meantime, Russia’s Supreme Commercial Court ceased to exist. The court’s powers were transferred in their entirety to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation under a federal law that entered into force on February 5. The merger of the courts would foster greater equality to the justice system, President Vladimir Putin said.