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Bureaucrats to Open the Sky of Russia for Foreign-Made Planes
The Interdepartmental Commission for Protection Measures in Foreign Trade and Customs Policy resolved yesterday to cut two fold the import duties on foreign aircraft. This decision is the first action taken under the WTO agreement of Russia with the United States.
The Interdepartmental Commission for Protection Measures in Foreign Trade and Customs Policy decided yesterday to trim two fold the import duties on foreign aircraft, said representatives of the Economic Development Ministry. The matter at stake is reducing the duties from 20 percent to 8 percent for the aircraft of 50 seats and from 20 percent to 10 percent for the aircraft with the armchair number between 115 and 160.
Even though the benefits cover Russia’s popular Boeing 737 and A320, they could be applied only to the planes taken by airlines in operating leasing for three years and will remain in force till January 1, 2011.
Economic Development Ministry will pass the draft regulation to the cabinet in the near term. The duties reduction is the first action taken under bilateral agreement on WTO made between Russia and the United States, representatives of the ministry specified.
Today’s duties of 20 percent imposed on the import of foreign-made aircraft are of obviously obstructing nature. Till 2004, only Aeroflot and Transaero had foreign planes in their fleets, having managed to buy them duty free in exchange for the promised acquisition of Russia’s aircraft.
Russia had more than a hundred operating planes of foreign make as of January 1, 2006, said the country’s transport supervisor Rostransnadzor. The number is forecasted to double by late 2007.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Jan. 18, 2007
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