Electronics sellers fear rising prices for laptops and smartphones due to the introduction of labeling in the EAEU

Associations of Russian electronics retailers and marketplaces oppose the introduction of labeling on laptops and smartphones in the EAEU countries, which is proposed by Armenia. They are afraid of rising prices for goods, the supply of which is already complicated due to military actions and sanctions. The government of the Russian Federation, on the contrary, believes that the initiative will increase the level of security of imported devices and support Russian vendors by offering to expand it by including tablets in the labeling system.

Kommersant has read the letter from the Association of Trading Companies and Manufacturers of Electrical Household and Computer Equipment (RATEK, which includes Citilink, M.Video-Eldorado, DNS, etc.) to the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) dated June 15 with a request withdraw its decision to introduce labeling of laptops and smartphones in the EAEU countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia) at the suggestion of Armenia. RATEK notes that if marking is introduced, the cost of supplying these devices to Russia will increase, which may affect their volumes. The letter says that the decision to introduce labeling will be discussed on June 23 at the EEC Council.

The Association of Internet Trade Companies (it includes Wildberries, Ozon, Yandex.Market, etc.), according to its head Artem Sokolov, is also preparing a letter to the EEC Council with a request not to support the introduction of labeling: “Otherwise, Russian players will face financial losses, and consumers – with a noticeable reduction in the range. Due to geopolitical risks, their import into the country is already complicated.”

In Russia, the National Digital Marking System has been introduced since 2019. It applies to dairy products, packaged water, medicines, tobacco, shoes, light industrial goods, fur coats, perfumes, tires and cameras. A representative of the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT, the operator of the system) told Kommersant that the CRPT “is ready to work on the issue of labeling new categories of goods, if the relevant decisions are made by the government.” “It is important to test the technology so that it does not lead to stress for entrepreneurs and does not affect the cost of products for consumers,” he stressed.

The Mintsifra assured Kommersant that “labeling will not affect the import of products, parallel imports and the cost of devices listed in the draft decision of the EEC Council”: “The experience of introducing labeling in other industries confirms this,” the ministry explained. “The decision will increase the level of security devices imported into the territory of the Russian Federation, will reduce the risk of supplying low-quality equipment. Also, according to the draft decision, each member country of the EAEU itself sets the deadline for the introduction of marking, they say in the Ministry of Digital Development. From a letter from Deputy Minister Andrey Zarenin to the Ministry of Industry and Trade dated May 25, it follows that the Ministry of Digital Development even proposes to supplement the list with tablets. The Ministry of Industry and Trade did not respond to a request.

The issue of marking electronics in the EAEC has been discussed since 2021, but last year it became especially relevant, says a Kommersant interlocutor close to the government: “A number of Russian electronics manufacturers, under the guise of equipment assembled in Russia, supply Chinese customers to customers.” The scheme is as follows: the manufacturer produces a small batch on its line, enters it into the register of Russian electronics and gets access to the state order, clarifies the source of Kommersant, and then orders the equipment at Chinese factories, where “they simply put the nameplate of the Russian vendor.” Labeling at the EAEC level will prevent such situations, he believes.

Any marking is a burden on business, a rise in cost and a delay in deliveries for the consumer, and hastily introduced – all the more, objected to the director of the Association of Computer and Information Technology Enterprises (APKIT, includes MTS, Huawei, Apple, etc.) Nikolai Komlev. According to him, APKIT turned to the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan with a request for “a comprehensive discussion of this initiative with the business community.”

Timofey Kornev, Nikita Korolyov