INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Russian authorities are exploring the introduction of a new industrial levy aimed at shielding local manufacturers from foreign competition
while helping to fill widening gaps in the federal budget, Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov said.The proposal comes amid the
sharpest contraction in manufacturing activity since the early months of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as mounting fiscal
automotive sector as a policy model.That fee, originally intended to offset the environmental costs of vehicle disposal, is imposed on both
Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Vasily Osmakov singled out the radio-electronics industry as a potential candidate for the proposed levy
However, no official decision has been made on which sectors will be covered.Sales of household appliances and electronics fell in nominal
terms for the first time in the first quarter, according to Dmitry Alekseev, founder of the DNS retail chain
Many consumers rely on credit to purchase electronics and household appliances, but consumer lending has been in decline for eight
compared with the same period of 2024, while washing machine output fell by 3% and refrigerator production by 9%.Calls for the introduction
of an industrial levy or similar support measures have also come from sectors including the shoemaking industry and from manufacturers of
