Legal regulation of innovative activity: experience of Russian regions

The article is devoted to legal regulation of innovative activity at the regional level in the Russian Federation. Problems connected with the absence of a federal act in the sphere of innovations are examined, aims and objectives of its creation are determined. Regional legislative acts that deal with innovations are analyzed, common trends of their development as well as current approaches to legal regulation of sphere of innovations are revealed. Legal gaps and collisions, in particular connected with the absence of uniform interpretation of concepts and terms related to innovative activity identified, necessity of their legalization in federal act is demonstrated. The article also deals with the regional laws` provisions devoted to the formation and implementation of public innovative policy at the regional level, particular attention is paid to the approaches to the legal regulation of public support of innovative activity used by regional legislators. The list of the most typical instruments of public support systemized, sub-divided by the author into categories, is formed. Regional rulemaking experience is summarized as to its potential of being used in the elaboration of federal legal act in the field of innovative activity. A summary of regional rulemaking experience is provided, bearing in mind its potential for use in the elaboration of federal legal acts relating to innovation. On the base of the analysis of regional legislation the list of issues that demand regulation by a special federal act is formed. Analysis of regional legislation forms the basis for the compilation of a list of issues for which regulation by special federal act is required.