Retailers call for tougher rules for importing foreign products

Two years ago, amid sanctions, to avoid shortages of essential products, the threshold was increased five times: from 200 euros to 1,000 euros.

The Association considers that the objective has been achieved and from April 1 this standard may return to its previous level. During this time, Russian factories adapted to the restrictions, parallel imports began to operate, and local manufacturers found new suppliers of raw materials and equipment.

The association is confident that the extension of this standard will only encourage foreign manufacturers. They further added: foreign companies supply their products without paying customs duties, without the cost of checking quality and without service obligations, this negatively affects competition and increases the risk of expanding illegal trafficking of goods.

The Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance are in favor of lowering the threshold to 200 euros, mainly to replenish the budget with additional money, a source in the Federation Council, where this issue is also being discussed, told the newspaper. . According to him, the FAS, the Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade are determined to maintain the current level of 1,000 euros or gradually reduce it to 500 euros.

Most of the products come from China, noted the publication’s interlocutor. According to last year’s results, all cross-border trade accounted for a share of 0.6%, but this is approximately equivalent to 350-400 billion rubles.

In the context of sanctions, the duty-free import threshold of 1,000 euros significantly helps many Russians and helps prevent product shortages, noted the head of the Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications , Alexander Khinshtein. In his opinion, if the ACORT idea is approved, the number of such purchases will decrease, which means that Russian Post’s profits will also decrease.

The Russian Post itself reported: the volume of cross-border online trade has been declining for several years due to the spread of Covid-19 and the cessation of payment systems in 2022. For these reasons, the company explained, prices have increased of everyday products and the loss of income in markets.

Russians will begin to refuse purchases if the cost of a product turns out to be higher than they can afford; The existence of a high level of tariff relief has helped “guarantee the demand of low-income Russians for cheap and inexpensive products.” demand goods from abroad, for example, electronics, tools or automotive products,” he indicated in Ozon.

Wildberries also supported maintaining the duty-free threshold at the same level.

• The EEC has increased the threshold for duty-free import of goods into the EAEU to 1,000 euros in spring 2022 at the initiative of the Russian side. The limit has since been extended, most recently until April 2024, when it should drop to the original 200 euros (approximately 19.9 thousand rubles at the Central Bank exchange rate). The Finance Ministry said that “the final decision on the duty-free threshold will be made by the Russian government.”