Business asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to extend parallel imports for 2023

The Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT) is preparing a letter to the Ministry of Industry and Trade with a request to extend parallel imports for 2023. About this writes newspaper Izvestia, citing the president of the organization, Artem Sokolov.

According to him, if the use of this mechanism is not extended, then retail will face a shortage of goods in certain categories. “It is enough to look at any website of an online store or online platform to make sure that parallel import works, it is important and necessary,” Sokolov said.

He added that thanks to parallel imports, even under sanctions, consumers can get products from companies that have left Russia. The head of ACIT specified that such a mechanism also protects buyers from fakes, since companies import original products into the country, which pass all checks and customs procedures. If this mechanism is abandoned, consumers risk getting counterfeit goods at a high price, Sokolov believes.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade told the newspaper that they would consider the association’s proposal when it was received. The FAS reminded that the decision remains with the government of the Russian Federation. The antimonopoly service added that for many years they supported the “establishment on the territory of the Russian Federation of the international principle of exhaustion of rights”, which allows goods to be imported into the country without the permission of the copyright holders. It is noted that now this issue is being discussed within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The Association of Retail Trade Companies (AKORT) is also in favor of extending parallel imports, Igor Karavaev, chairman of the organization’s presidium, told Izvestia. In addition, AKORT believes that the list of brands legalized for parallel import should include products that cannot be produced in Russia.

Parallel import involves the importation of original goods into the country without the permission of the copyright holder or manufacturer. In Russia, this measure came into effect at the end of March 2022 in response to Western sanctions.

The list of products for import under parallel import includes goods of electronics manufacturers (Apple, Samsung, Asus, Intel, Sony, etc.), cars (Jaguar, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley), rare earth metals, sports equipment and other goods. In August, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also included perfumery and cosmetic products from Lancome, Redken, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Giorgio Armani and others.

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