The Minister of Digital Development of the Russian Federation, Maksut Shadaev, has suggested the possibility of implementing a fee for domestic companies that continue to rely on foreign software. Speaking at the Tadviser Summit, Shadaev stated that this measure aims to “equalize” the use of foreign and Russian software among enterprises in the country.
Shadaev highlighted that despite facing sanctions restrictions, many domestic companies have continued to update their foreign software products. To address this issue, the minister proposed two key mechanisms.
Firstly, the department plans to create economic incentives for businesses to transition to domestic IT products, potentially through tax incentives. Additionally, there is discussion about imposing a special fee on companies that persist in using foreign software.
Shadaev emphasized that if investing in Russian software is not financially viable, companies may receive tax relief upon its adoption. He explained, “The collection for the use of foreign software, although unpopular, aims to level the playing field between the introduction of Russian software and the foreign software currently in use.”