27 october 2023 — 14:00
The scrap collection for the import of foreign telecommunications equipment to Russia will apply only to those cases when there are domestic analogues in the country. This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Finance Maksuta Shadaeva.
The idea of introducing scrap collection for foreign IT equipment, which has Russian analogues, is spelled out in the draft strategy of the communications industry until 2035, the Russian official stressed. He also added that this scrap collection will be “sent just for a subsidy to Russian manufacturers.”
"There is such a measure, it operates in motor transport, it is called recycling. This is a measure that allows us to raise the cost of foreign solutions for those positions for which there are Russian analogues, in order to prevent unfair price competition. We will collect it from those who import foreign equipment. And this will go to support Russian production," the minister explained.
The minister did not specify the amount of such a fee, but noted that the government supports this idea.
The introduction of scrap collection is being discussed against the background of the fact that prices for Russian equipment are often more expensive than for foreign ones; at the same time, it is not possible to reduce prices for domestic products, since they, in particular, depend on the logistics costs of the component base and other factors, Shadaev said.