Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Gazprom Neft, NLMK and UC RUSAL sent comments on carbon tax on imported goods to the EU, writes RBC.
Russian business pointed out a number of problems of proposed regulation: a potential incompatibility with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), unwillingness to recognize climate projects of foreign manufacturers, accounting not only direct, but also indirect emissions from raw materials and components, the possibility of using “default values” When calculating the carbon trace.
In RSPP, they believe that the tax “can create new barriers to international trade and disrupt the existing chains of the cost of creating value”. The organization indicates that the current version of the project leads to a violation of free competition between products of European and non-European origin, and therefore we need a revision of some points. The RSPP was considered incorrect that the EU actually refuses the principle of “pollutant pays” (this duty falls on the “authorized declarant”).
In Rusal, it is believed that the tax “can become an artificial restriction and create additional trade barriers to EU partners.” If foreign suppliers want to go through “all technical and administrative formalities”, they can reoriented to other markets, which threatens Europe with a deficit and price increase.
In mid-July, the European Commission submitted a new action plan to save ecology, proposing including introducing transboundary carbon tax on the supply of certain products in the European Union, including metals, cement and fertilizers. Russian companies new fees can cost multi-billion losses. Europe promised not to discriminate against Russia with the help of a new tax.