Potential Prohibition of Unauthorized Import of HP and Fujitsu Laptops by Ministry of Industry and Trade
Gearin' Up The document suggests that other goods from these companies can still reach Russia without the manufacturer's consent. Sources from a newspaper report that this project is currently under consideration, with interdepartmental coordination underway. No official release date has been set yet.
A representative from an electronics company notes that Dell and Lenovo's share in the basic x86 server solutions market is about 75-80%. HP was also a major player, but Fujitsu's share was minimal. He wonders why there are no plans to exclude Dell from the parallel import list, as this vendor ranks third in the Russian market and is rapidly growing.
Maxim Koposov, Director of "Promobit", comments that HPE's market share dropped by 58% in 2024. He questions what the exclusion of these brands from the list might mean. He hints at legal penalties for violators, but it's unclear who would take legal action in this scenario.
A rep from electronics manufacturer Fplus opines that Russia's demand for laptops and server equipment can be met through official supplies and domestic producers. He also advocates for expanding the parallel import ban list, as these imports have a damaging impact on Russian producers and undermine the effectiveness of state support measures. Dmitry Titov, the First Vice-President of "Aquarius" group, suggests a complete ban on foreign equipment purchases through government procurement.
In April 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade disclosed their plan to develop domestic production for products in short supply and increase supplies from friendly countries as the reason for modifying the parallel import goods list. "Izvestia" reported, citing a source, that the department aims to reduce the volume of goods imported through parallel channels by changing the way the decree is interpreted. Another source claimed that the document will now focus on specific brands instead of entire product categories.
The parallel import mechanism became active in Russia in 2022 during sanctions against the country and the departure of Western brands from the Russian market. It allows for the import of products without the manufacturer's consent. The list of goods eligible for import via parallel channels includes cars, electronics, household appliances, cosmetics, among others. The government extends parallel imports annually, with the mechanism still in effect in 2025.
Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov reported at the end of 2024 that the volume of goods supplied to Russia via parallel imports has decreased from $4 billion to $3 billion per month due to the emergence of Russian goods and products from friendly countries on the market. In late 2023, then-first deputy prime minister of Russia, Andrei Belousov, stated that over $70 billion worth of products had been imported into Russia via parallel imports over two years. No specific statistics by year are provided.
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- Despite the concerns about Packard's growth in the Russian market, there is no official indication that it may be excluded from the parallel import list.
- The interdepartmental coordination currently underway suggests that changes to the parallel import list may affect certain brands, such as HPE, which has seen a significant drop in market share.
- According to Dmitry Titov, initiating a complete ban on foreign equipment purchases through government finance could help protect domestic producers and the effectiveness of state support measures.
- In light of the government's efforts to reduce the volume of goods imported through parallel channels, the finance industry might face challenges in sourcing necessary equipment for various industries, such as electronics and servers.
