Parallel imports: the list of goods will be expanded and protected from sanctions

Position of the Ministry of Industry and Trade

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will revise the list of goods quarterly for parallel imports – imports of goods into Russia without the consent of the trademark owner. This was reported to socialbites.ca in the press service of the ministry. The ministry said that the revision will be carried out on the basis of constant monitoring of the availability of goods imported through parallel imports, for example, on store shelves.

“According to preliminary estimates, the change in the list will be quarterly. The main criterion by which the decision to expand or reduce the list of goods allowed for parallel importation will be taken is the actual shipment of imported products to Russia.

For this reason, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will conduct market analysis together with the business world. “To determine to what extent the adoption of the goods list for targeted parallel imports affects product imports,” the press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

job position

Nikolay Dunaev, vice president of Opora Rossii, told Gazeta.ru that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has begun to discuss this issue with the business community. This was confirmed by Alexander Murychev, vice-president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP). Both interlocutors of socialbites.ca refused to name the commodity items that are not on the list and should be included there. According to Dunaev, this is done from a cautious point of view: publicly expressed positions could be included in the sixth package of EU sanctions against Russia.

The Association of “Russian Auto Dealers” (ROAD) “socialbites.ca” reported that the list of the Ministry of Industry and Trade was requested to be indicated in terms of auto parts – now there are only general categories that can be interpreted differently.

“Therefore, the list should be expanded and detailed. But for now, dealers will work with what they have. During the quarter, they’ll be looking at how the roster works as a whole.

In conditions of broken supply chains, there was a shortage of spare parts and components. Drivers cannot fix their cars quickly. Therefore, parallel imports are necessary as a temporary measure caused by a market emergency, the need for customers to keep their cars in good condition, ”said Vyacheslav Zubarev, Head of ROAD.

The RSPP believes that monitoring, which would require a list change, should not worsen the economic situation of Russian companies acting as copyright holders under existing license agreements with foreign partners.

“We are talking about existing agreements – we are talking about those that are being implemented, that are not in the process of being terminated or suspended. The RSPP recommended compiling a list of such licensed companies and the protected objects they manage. And take this into account when creating a list of parallel imports in the future, ”explained Irina Yakovleva, Deputy Head of the Russian Center for the circulation of rights to the results of creative activity.

In general, market participants agree on one thing – it is too early to talk about changes in the list of goods for parallel imports. We’ll have to see how the mechanism will work for at least a few months.

“Parallel import is a measure that will protect access to a range of goods for Russian consumers. And it will help companies not to suspend production, including those that remain on the Russian market. “Moreover, to ensure the availability in Russia of goods that were not imported and whose production was not established or stopped on Russian soil under the conditions of sanctions pressure,” said Tadzio Schilling, CEO of the Business Association of Europe.

customs position

The Federal Customs Service also reminded that parallel imports do not open borders for the import of counterfeit goods.

“Parallel imports will generally include the import of original quality products of beneficiaries who refuse to participate in the established circulation of goods. In the first quarter of 2022, customs officials detected 4.6 million counterfeit goods. Damages in the amount of 870 million rubles, which could cause copyright holders in connection with the circulation of counterfeit products, were avoided. 187 administrative offense cases have been launched,” he said.