The primary, vital, crucial - such epithets awarded the Law on the Development of Small and Medium Enterprise Development in Russia in the period of its development and adoption. And Act signed by the Governor and with the January 1, 2008 comes into force. Now small and medium businesses appeared, finally, a new "charter". Facilitation of whether he actually lives entrepreneurs? Since the adoption of the Federal Law of 14.06.1995 № 88-FZ "On State Support of Small Business in Russia" (hereinafter - the Law № 88-FZ), there have been significant changes in legislation. Have been adopted Budget and Tax codes, laws "On State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs," "On Procurement of goods, works and services for state and municipal needs," "On privatization of state and municipal property". This led to a conflict of federal law and remove several articles of the Law № 88-FZ. In such a truncated form of Law wore a declarative character and, in fact, was inactive regulatory act with outdated rules, and small businesses remained deprived of the business sector. However, small and medium enterprises play a special role in the economy of any state. His contribution to the GDP of the leading countries of the world exceeds 50%. The inherent flexibility of small enterprises, simplicity, low cost control cause the economic importance of this sector of the economy. "Small enterprise sector in Russia has accumulated the most proactive of skilled workers from all sectors of the economy. However, for reasons systemic nature of the potential of small business in Russia today is far from realized. Socio-economic situation has pushed workers of small enterprises in the sphere of mediation, small businesses are forced to concentrate its resources on the most profitable and important for their survival courses of action. Half of all small businesses in the country working in the trade, much less engaged in manufacturing and construction. In all other industries in small enterprises is negligible. received virtually no development sector small innovative enterprises ", - the head of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy Yevgeny Fyodorov. And in fact, what the problems are not only faced Dublin was who decided to organize a small business. This instability of tax legislation, and the high tax burden, which makes unprofitable, and often unprofitable for entrepreneurial activity. For all small businesses operating in different fields, relevant problems of access to premises at the stage of education, high rents. Until the end of unresolved issues of protection of property. Small and medium business is experiencing considerable difficulties in obtaining credit. Small credit terms, as well as the high cost of credit does not satisfy the needs of potential borrowers. Is the new Law on the Development of Small and Medium Enterprise Development (hereinafter - the new Act), which will replace the Law № 88-FZ, the reverse situation - a larger number of small and medium businesses, to create the enabling environment activities to ensure competitiveness? Let us dwell on the major novels of the new Act. Even the title is clear: The law now regulates not only the scope of small business development. Based on global experience, indicating that no less important for the effective development of economy is a secondary business, the new Act regulates this area. Thus, the law, the new term SME (small and medium enterprises). Changed and the criteria for inclusion to the number of small businesses. Previously, the only criterion was the average number, differentiated by sector-specific basis (in industry, for example, are considered as small enterprises with up to 100 people in agriculture - to 60, in retail trade - up to 30), the new law introduces two criteria. First - is the average number of employees for the preceding calendar year, regardless of the types of activities. Second, an additional criterion - the maximum amount of proceeds from the sale of goods, works and services excluding VAT and (or) the carrying value of assets for the preceding calendar year. Limit values for the second test given at the discretion of the Government, which will install them for each category of small and medium-sized businesses every five years based on solid statistical surveys. As the average number of employees, in accordance with this criterion, now there are three types of SME: micro enterprises with personnel not more than 15 people, small businesses - from 16 to 100 employees and medium-sized enterprises - from 101 to 250 people. This criterion ensures comparability of law Russia and the European Union in the field of SME development. In general, a clear gradation of SME will generate an additional independent, specialized programs for each type of small and medium-sized businesses.