Russia's online merchants are preparing new ways to circumvent tighter product certification rules that the government says are aimed at curbing grey imports and boosting budget revenues, even as sellers warn the measures will drive up prices.
Beginning Sept. 1, online marketplaces and e-commerce stores must include links in product listings to official Russian or Eurasian certification registries showing whether goods comply with mandatory safety requirements, according to amendments to Russia's consumer protection law.
The new rules are part of a broader government effort to tighten oversight of imports as Moscow seeks to curb tax evasion and customs violations and shore up state finances strained by the war in Ukraine.
The push comes as Russia looks for additional revenue to help plug a federal budget deficit that reached 5.7 trillion rubles ($73.53 billion) in the first half of the year.
"It's all about economics. We're not habitual lawbreakers. We simply understand that if we followed every rule, we wouldn't be able to import and sell inexpensive goods here," one importer said on condition of anonymity.
