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Computer Producers for Lifting Customs Duties
Foreign IT companies are pushing for scraping customs duties on computer parts in Russia. The issue has entered the agenda of the governmental commission on protection measures in foreign trade next February, Intel’s Russian office reported Thursday. Market participants forecast that the government will grant customs rebates to the companies which will pledge to start assembling computers in Russia.
The governmental commission is to consider early next year lifting duties on computer components, Denis Gudym from Intel’s Russian office told Kommersant. Intel has sent a letter to the government asking to lift the duties. The company, however, does not have high hopes for the positive decision. “The commission is most likely to suggest introducing the regime of industrial assemblage as it was the case with Ford,” Dudym said. The regime would mean no duties for the companies which will launch their production in Russia. Intel says it is lobbying lower duties to cut computer retail prices and, ultimately, to boost sales.
The Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry confirmed Thursday that the issue is on the agenda for the February session. The ministry also reminded that Russia pledged to sign the IT Agreement to enter the WTO which will lift all customs duties on software, information and communication goods.
The Russian Association of Home Appliance and Computer Producers and Trade Companies also supports cutting duties on IT imports. “It was one of our initiatives,” the association’s PR director Anton Guskov said. “But it will hard for the government to make this decision because of high benefits computers bring to the budget. Last year, the computer market in Russia was worth $9 billion.”
IT experts are of an opinion that the lift of the duties will make Russia’s IT industry more attractive in terms of investment as overseas producers will be encourage to put money in local assemblage.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 24, 2006
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