On 21 February 2019, the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) approved for ratification the pending protocol to the 1993 tax treaty with Sweden. The protocol, signed 24 May 2018 ({News-2018-05-30/T/5-previous coverage}), is the first to amend the treaty and will enter into force 30 days after the ratification instruments are exchanged and will apply from 1 January of the year following its entry into force.