Confectionery import duties to go down after Russia joins WTO
MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax) - Russia will lower its confectionery import duty after it joins the WTO, especially for chocolate.
The import duty on sugar confectionery (with under 60% sucrose content) will drop to 10%, but no less than 0.6 euros per kilo, from the current 20%, but no less than 1.2 euros per kilo, shows a document on Russia's market access obligations, which Interfax has a copy of.
The duty on confectionery (with over 60% sucrose content) will be 20%, but no less than 0.5 euros per kilo, when Russia joins the WTO, but then by 2015 drop to 10%, but no less than 0.38 euros per kilo. Imports of chewing gum sticks will have a duty of 10%, but no less than 0.6 euros per kilo, from 2015, compared to 20%, but no less than 1.09 euros per kilo when Russia joins the WTO.
The duty on white chocolate will go down from 20%, but no less than 0.25 euros per kilo (the current duty and the duty when Russia joins the WTO) to 12%, but no less than 0.15 euros per kilo, in 2015.
Sore throat lozenges and cough drops will have a duty of 7% in 2015, down from the current 10%.
The duty on boiled candies, with or without fillings, will not initially change from the current 20%, but no less than 0.25 euros, according to Customs Union tariffs, but by 2016, the duty will drop to 14%, but no less than 0.175 per kilo. The duty on other types of caramels and toffees (currently 20%, but no less than 0.25 euros per kilo) will be 20%, but no less than 0.16 euros per kilo after Russia joins the WTO. In 2016, the duty will drop to 14%, but no less than 0.13 euros per kilo.
There is a special duty on caramel imports at present of $294.1 per tonne. It was introduced in June 2011 for three years.
Imports of chocolates, which currently have a duty of 20%, but no less than 0.6 euros per kilo, will be 0.6 euros per kilo when Russia joins the WTO. From 2016, it will be 0.28 euros per kilo (0.52 euros in 2013, 0.44 euros in 2014 and 0.36 euros in 2015).