The Russian government has introduced additional import duties on a selection of goods originating from countries designated as unfriendly. A decree signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and published on the state legal information portal outlines the new measures, which affect only goods from those states and territories identified as taking actions contrary to Russia’s economic interests. The regulation tacks on extra duties beyond the standard Common Customs Tariff until December 31, 2023, applying to defined product groups within the Eurasian Economic Union tariff framework.
Effective from the date of publication, a 35% surcharge will be applied to imports in fourteen product categories. The affected products span cosmetics and personal care items such as shampoos, toothpaste, shaving products, deodorants, and detergents, as well as household goods like cleaners and incense. The policy also targets certain physical goods including ammunition, guns for sporting use, and related components. Officials stressed that local manufacturers offer domestic equivalents in quality and range that meet or exceed foreign options, and stressed that there is no plan to raise taxes on cosmetics and perfumes from unfriendly countries where Russian demand remains unmet by domestic producers.
Industry officials noted that roughly 60 percent of these products were previously imported from European Union members, while only a small portion—about 8 percent for the taxed items—came from a few other nations. The ministry highlighted that a 15 percent share of these admissions covers a narrow, premium-brand niche. The new duty regime is set to take effect five days after it is published, and enforcement is assigned to the Federal Customs Service to ensure proper implementation.
The list of unfriendly countries was approved by the government earlier in the year in response to international sanctions. It includes the European Union member states, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Japan, and several other economies. In March, the roster was broadened to include additional territories associated with Britain’s sanctions regime, and further expansions followed in subsequent months. The decision reflects Russia’s strategy of parity measures in response to external restrictions.
Before the decree was issued, industry observers cited unofficial sources indicating that manufacturers’ associations had proposed a protective duty on deodorants, toothpaste, and dishwashing detergents imported from unfriendly countries. The intent is to address products that were previously manufactured within Russia but later entered the market as finished imports after Western firms withdrew operations. Names frequently mentioned included well-known brands such as Gillette, Old Spice, Fairy, Oriflame, Colgate, and Nivea. The products subject to the 35% rate are largely produced abroad in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and several other regions, with some manufacturing partially relocated to or contracted in other jurisdictions.
Industry groups described the duty policy as a countermeasure to Western countries imposing a 35% tax on Russian goods. They explained that many Western-brand products in Russia were once produced domestically under contract manufacturing arrangements, using imported raw materials. The disruption of supply chains in spring 2022 prompted a shift toward importing ready-made goods, making the new tariffs a direct response to the changing trade environment. The ministry noted that Russian capacities in many sectors significantly exceed the combined import volumes under consideration, with estimates suggesting the local production potential far outstrips demand in the unfriendly-country list, depending on location.
Officials also stated that the price impact of the new duties would be proportionate to the value of the affected brands, with consumer costs rising accordingly. The move is part of a broader pattern of restrictions that began in 2015, when Russia started to limit or ban certain imports from Western countries as counter-sanctions. In the current cycle, Moscow has not expanded the list of prohibited goods beyond what has already been established, focusing instead on adjusting tariffs to reflect the evolving trade landscape.