Russia to tighten recycling fee from 2027 for cars imported from Kyrgyzstan

Starting in 2027, Russia will tighten the rules for calculating the recycling fee for cars imported by citizens from abroad. A draft government resolution "On the recycling fee for wheeled vehicles, self-propelled machines and trailers thereto," prepared by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, has been put out for public discussion.

Experts note that, because of the new rules and the formula for calculating top-up payments, customs clearance through Kyrgyzstan will become unprofitable. Car dealers have already called the amendments an obstacle to the profitable import of cars into Russia through the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. In recent years, imports of foreign cars into Russia from abroad have gone mainly through Kyrgyzstan.

Purchased cars will have to be registered within a month. For the preferential import of a rare car older than 30 years, it will be necessary to prove that it is a cultural value. The rules for calculating the recycling fee are planned to be changed from 2027; the document does not specify concrete dates.

Customs authorities will refuse to apply the personal-use recycling fee rate if the car being imported into Russia was previously brought into the EAEU territory with duties paid at rates differing from those of the union's common customs tariff. Refusal is also provided for in the case where the car was imported into the Kyrgyz Republic itself as a personal-use good with duties and taxes paid that differ from those stipulated in Russia.

The formula for calculating the top-up payment that Russians make together with the recycling fee when legalizing a car already cleared through customs in an EAEU state is also changing. Instead of separate coefficients accounting for the difference in customs duties, VAT and excise actually paid in Kyrgyzstan and those in force in Russia, it is planned to introduce a single coefficient tied to car prices recorded in the documents of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade. Regardless of how low the declared value of the car and the duty in the Kyrgyz Republic were, the top-up will take into account the price from the average value list, which will be updated once a quarter. The difference between Russian duties and those actually paid in the country of import will be added to the recycling fee.