The Russian Ministry of Economic Development plans to finalize a bill on developing the national Arctic zone by autumn, Vyacheslav Shtyrov, a member of the Federation Council from Yakutia and head of the upper parliament house's Arctic and Antarctic Council, told Interfax.

"The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has already submitted the bill's concept to the Federation Council, we discussed it at a meeting of the Arctic and Antarctic Council in May, and we have, in principle, approved it. The Ministry will submit the bill this fall," he said.

We need laws to define social issues, special business conditions, issues related to the life and work of the Northern indigenous peoples and other issues, he said. The bill will also specify criteria for listing various regions among the Arctic territories, Shtyrov added.