Legal Regulation of Entrepreneurial Activity in Special Economic Zones: Problems and Prospects

Relevance. The development of territories defined as special economic zones in the Russian Federation continues to be in the focus of the state policy aimed at attracting investments of both domestic and international nature in various sectors of economic activity: from manufacturing to tourism and innovative technologies. Under these conditions, the task of quality legal regulation of entrepreneurial initiatives and ensuring conditions for the successful operation and protection of business assistants in SEZ territories becomes more relevant. The purpose of the study is to assess the existing regulatory mechanisms, identify problems in the sphere of SEZ residents' activities, and determine promising directions for further development of legal relations that contribute to the increase of investment potential in the territory of the country. Objectives. Analysis of the existing mechanisms of control and legal regulation of the activities of economic entities with the status of SEZ residents, the study of shortcomings in the legal framework concerning the procedures for depriving business structures of the SEZ resident status, which directly affects the stability of their functioning. Methodology . To achieve the set objectives, we used various methodological approaches, in particular, deductive, system-analytical, formal-logical, which allowed us to review the current mechanisms of regulating the activities of economic entities-residents of SEZs, and from the general theoretical provisions to draw specific conclusions about the prospects for the development of the legal environment for the regulation of entrepreneurial activity in SEZs. Results of the study are a critical understanding of the existing approaches to legal regulation and support of SEZ activities, as well as the adjustment of the regulatory framework taking into account the identified shortcomings, which will improve the effectiveness of the SEZ institution and contribute to a balanced economic development of regions and stabilisation of the investment environment at the macro level. Conclusion. The article presents proposals for amendments aimed at eliminating the identified problems concerning the clarification of the legal status of residents and mechanisms for controlling their activities, which should contribute to improving the effectiveness of legal regulation and ensuring the stability of entrepreneurial structures in SEZs.