Classification of territories with special economic regimes: types of legal regimes, and features of functioning

The article examines the main types of territories with special economic regimes: special economic zones, free economic zones, and advanced development territories. Their typology, goal establishing, conditions and features of functioning, as well as variants of the legal regime are presented. The effectiveness of their functioning in key economic areas is summarized. In the Russian Federation, there are the following types of special economic regimes: special economic zones, free economic zones, territories of advanced development. Special economic regimes are created with the aim of creating favorable business conditions, attracting investment and stimulating development of priority industries, which undoubtedly determines the relevance of the topic of this study. In Russia, the operation of free economic zones is regulated by a special legal regime that provides preferences for businesses and permits the use of a simplified customs regime. The purpose of creating special economic zones is to promote important sectors of the economy, develop tourism, port and transport infrastructure, develop technologies and bring them to the market, as well as launch new products. Legislative regulation of special economic zones is carried out by Federal Law No. 116FZ dated 07.22.2005 "On Special Economic Zones in the Russian Federation", which establishes the legal regime of special economic zones, the procedure for creating zones and terminating their existence, and the specifics of entrepreneurial activity on their territory. 116-FZ interprets the definition of "a special economic zone is a part of the territory of the Russian Federation, which is determined by the Government of the Russian Federation and which has a special regime for conducting business, and the customs procedure of a free customs zone may also be applied".

1. Grivanov R.I., Bedrachuk I.A., Uksumenko A.A. Special economic zones in the system of international economic relations : textbook. Vladivostok : Publishing House of VSUES, 2018. 144 p.

2. Menshchikova V.I., Merkulova E.Yu. Prospects for the development of territories with special management regimes // Bulletin of Michurinsk State Agrarian University. 2017. No. 3. Pp. 142–150.

3. Gromova E.A. On the issue of granting preferences in the field of government and corporate procurement to residents of territories with a special regime of economic activity // Lawyer. 2021. No. 2. Pp. 31–37.

4. Varvarin N.A. Special innovative economic zone and special crypto-economic zone as subjects of regional economy // Effective management systems: stable quality in unstable conditions : proceedings of the X anniversary International Scientific and Practical Forum / edited by I.I. Antonova. Kazan : Cognition, 2023. Pp. 33–37.

5. Simbirtseva A.A. Special economic zones – the locomotive of business development // Materials of the conference of the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin. Yekaterinburg : Azhur Publishing House, 2021. Pp. 661–666.

6. Rybakov S.A. Special economic zone and free economic zone: unity or difference // Legal science and practice. 2023. No. 3. Pp. 63–66.

7. Shakirov E.I., Gabdrakhmanov A.R. Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ): the driving force of Tatarstan's economic development // Experience and problems of management system reform at a modern enterprise: Tactics and strategy : collection of articles of the XXIII International Scientific and Practical Conference. Penza : Publishing House of Penza State Agrarian University, 2024. Pp. 626–629.

8. Federal Law No. 116-FZ dated 22.07.2005 "On Special Economic Zones in the Russian Federation".

9. Federal Law No. 473-FZ dated 29.12.2014 "On Territories of Advanced Development in the Russian Federation".

10. Report on the results of the operation of special economic zones for 2024 and for the period since the beginning of the operation of special economic zones / Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. 2024. URL: https://www.economy.gov.ru/material/directions/regionalnoe_razvitie/instrumenty_ razvitiya_territoriy/osobye_ekonomicheskie_zony/ (date of access: 05.11.2025).