Starting from January 1, Russia will more than double the rate of increase of utilization fee from new cars. The corresponding decree was signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
The last increase in waste collection was in April 2018. The increasing factor depends on the volume of the car engine. The lowest for those cars whose ICE is less than one liter - for them the coefficient was 2.41, whereas earlier it was set at 1.65 (an increase of 46%).
Most cars sold in Russia are equipped with engines with a volume of one to two liters. For them, the coefficient more than doubled - from 4.2 to 8.92, or 112%. For cars with ICE from two to three liters, the growth was already 123% - the rate for them increased from 6.3 to 14.08.
A significant increase in the coefficient is also in cars, in which there are engines with volumes from three to three and a half liters - by 126% (from 5.73 to 12.98). The biggest increase for those cars whose engines are even larger - for them, the rate increased from 9.08 to 22.25, which means an increase of 145%.
- © Pavel Lisitsyn / RIA News
Thus, on average, the coefficient increased by 110%. It is noteworthy that the rate remained unchanged only for electric vehicles - as before, it was 1.63.
A number of media suggested that the cost of new cars will increase due to the growth of these rates. Nevertheless, waste collection takes a small place in the formation of the price of a machine and manufacturers will be able to compensate for its growth at the expense of profit, said Vladimir Gutenev, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy.
“I think that this is unlikely to affect the rise in price of cars. Because very often manufacturers, dealers are guided, to a large extent, to maintain their market share. And I think that small fluctuations will be offset by lower margins. Now there is a rather tough fight for segments in our market, ”he told RT.
“We need high-tech production”
The collection was introduced for environmental reasons. Disposing a car is a very expensive procedure that also damages the environment. The corresponding tax is paid by the automakers themselves. However, the problem is that it is not enough to cover the costs associated with recycling, noted Honored Ecologist of Russia Andrei Peshkov.
“These are complex products that you can’t dump into the landfill and can’t be dismantled with primitive means. This requires high-tech production, about the same as for the assembly of the car. Therefore, this is not such a simple question as it may seem, ”he explained in an interview with RT.
At first, the waste collection was paid only by those companies that imported their cars into Russia - domestic car manufacturers took responsibility for recycling, and therefore did not pay this tax. However, according to the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the conditions should be the same for all enterprises, and therefore Russian companies are now paying this tax.
The waste collection will be increased, authorities said in advance. So, according to the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, the increase is associated with inflation and a change in the ruble exchange rate.
“Utilization collection is a measure aimed primarily at ensuring the environmental safety of transport and reducing the harmful effects on the environment from the disposal of vehicles. Its planned indexation is determined by the level of industrial inflation and exchange rate changes of the ruble, ”he said in September.
At the same time, the share of waste collection in the cost of the car is insignificant. Taking into account even an increase in the coefficient by 120%, it will not exceed 2% of the price of a new car, Manturov explained.
“Despite the fact that the proposed increase in the rates of utilization fees in some cases exceeds 120%, its share in the cost of automobiles will remain within 1.5-2%,” the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade emphasized.
“Leverage to ramp up production”
It is worth noting that some automakers receive industrial subsidies from the government under special investment contracts (SPIC). The corresponding law granting the right to subsidies was signed on August 2 by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
SPICs were concluded with some of the largest automakers. Among them are AvtoVAZ, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Avtotor, PSA, Toyota, Volvo, BMW and others.
SPIK means the localization in Russia of not only automobile production, but also the transfer of design work and new technologies to the country. In some cases, this applies to electronics, in some - more complex components and assemblies. As noted by Manturov, the provision of benefits under these contracts can attract significant investment in the country.
“The signed SPICs will help to attract over 100 billion rubles of private investments of the world's leading automobile concerns to the Russian economy and localize the production of key components: engines, gearboxes and car control systems,” he emphasized.
The contracts themselves are concluded for up to ten years. Moreover, for the entire time of their operation, the conditions cannot change.
Given these contracts, utilization collection can be regarded as a motivation for manufacturers to expand the localization of cars in Russia, said Andrei Suzdaltsev, deputy dean of the HSE faculty of world economics and world politics.
“The meaning of these agreements is that automobile manufacturers increase the amount of production in Russia. That is, spare parts, equipment, etc. And for this they receive benefits. That is, in this case, waste collection is a lever to increase the production of automotive components, ”he said in an interview with RT.
Suzdaltsev stressed that this also means an increase in the number of jobs in Russia.
“Of course, these are expenses, but it’s impossible to say that this will radically increase the price of cars. Because there is such a “bait”: create jobs and pay less taxes, ”the expert explained.