authorities plan not to extend duty-free threshold of €1,000 for goods imported from abroad – Kommersant

The Russian government fears that the extension of the duty-free threshold of €1,000 for the import of goods from abroad may hinder the development of domestic production. Because of this, the relevant departments are inclined to believe that the limit will not be extended after October 1. The newspaper reported Vedomosti referring to two officials.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Economy, when assessing the need to extend the threshold, will maintain a balance of interests of manufacturers, retail chains and consumers, representatives of departments also told Vedomosti. The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) reported that the extension of the limit after October 1 is not yet discussed.

According to the interlocutor of Vedomosti, the initiative to extend the limit until October 1 belonged to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. At the same time, it was decided to abandon this measure because of the fears of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Economics that it hinders the development of Russian production.

The EEC increased the threshold for duty-free importation of goods into the EAEU to €1,000 in the spring of 2022 at the initiative of the Russian side. Since then it has been extended twice. If the limit is not extended until October 1, then it will again drop to the previous level of €200.

Olesya Pavlenko