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The Russian government has once again threatened to impose a protective tariff of 200 per cent on wine imports from NATO countries. This was stated by Maxim Chmora, Head of the Main Department for Federal Customs Revenue and Tariff Regulation of the Federal Customs Service of Russia. "We assume that this tariff will act as a ban," he said. The regulation covers wine, sparkling wine and fortified wines such as port, Madeira and sherry. This would affect all wine-growing countries in Europe with the exception of Austria, which is not a member of NATO. However, wines from so-called "unfriendly" countries would also be subject to a 50 per cent duty.
Experts see the move as a reaction to the sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries following the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. Russia's foreign currency reserves were frozen, several Russian banks were excluded from the Swift payment system, oligarchs were sanctioned and yachts were confiscated. Many Western companies, including several beverage companies, have left Russia.
Back in March 2024, the Russian state news agency TASS reported that the Association of Winemakers and Wine Producers of Russia (AWWR) had called on the Russian government to increase import duties on wine from NATO countries to 200 per cent. Shortly afterwards, TASS reported that Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko wanted to have the demand examined.
It is not yet known when the regulation will come into force.
(uka / Sources: Decanter, TASS and others)