The government of the Russian Federation has decided to increase the duty on certain types of rolled steel products and steel pipes from the current level of five percent to the range of 15 to 20 percent for a period of nine months. The decision No. 9 dated January 9, 2009, becomes effective one month after its official publication.
The 15 percent duty will impact the products in question under the following HS Codes: 7213 20 000 0, 7213 91 100 0, 7213 91 410 0, 7213 91 700 0, 7213 99 100 0, 7214 91 100 0, 7214 91 900 0, 7214 99 100 0, 7214 99 390 0, 7216 21 000 0, 7216 22 000 0, 7216 31 900 0, 7216 32 110 0, 7216 33 100 0, 7216 33 900 0, 7216 40 100 0, 7216 40 900 0, 7219 11 000 0, 7219 12 100 0, 7219 13 100 0, 7219 14 100 0, 7219 21 100 9, 7219 22 100 9, 7219 23 000 9, 7219 24 000 9, 7219 31 000 0, 7219 32 100 9, 7219 32 900 0, 7219 33 100 9, 7219 33 900 0, 7219 34 100 9, 7219 34 900 9, 7219 35 100 0, 7219 35 900 0, 7220 11 000 9, 7220 12 000 0, 7220 20 210 0, 7220 20 410 0, 7220 20 810 0, 7220 90 200 0, 7227 20 000 0, 7227 90 100 0, 7228 20 100 0, 7228 30 200 0, 7228 30 690 0, 7304 19 100 1, 7304 19 100 2, 7304 19 300 1, 7304 19 300 2, 7304 19 900 1, 7304 19 900 2, 7304 22 000 1, 7304 22 000 2, 7304 23 000 1, 7304 23 000 2, 7304 24 100 1, 7304 24 100 2, 7304 24 100 3, 7304 24 100 4, 7304 24 900 1, 7304 29 100 2, 7304 29 100 3, 7304 29 100 4, 7304 29 900 1, 7305 11 000 1 and 7305 11 000 3.
Meanwhile, the 20 percent duty will be effective for steel rolled products and steel pipes under the following HS Codes: 7304 22 000 9, 7304 24 100 9, 7304 24 900 9, 7304 29 100 9, 7304 31 200 9, 7304 39 100 0, 7304 39 300 0, 7304 39 920 0, 7304 39 930 0, 7304 39 990 0, 7304 41 000 9, 7304 49 100 0, 7304 49 920 0, 7304 51 120 0, 7304 51 180 1, 7304 51 810 0, 7304 59 320 0, 7304 59 380 0, 7304 59 920 0, 7304 59 930 0, 7304 59 990 0, 7305 11 000 2, 7305 20 000 1, 7306 11 900 0, 7306 19 190 0, 7306 21 000 0, 7306 30 110 0, 7306 30 190 0, 7306 30 410 0, 7306 30 720 0, 7306 30 800 0, 7306 50 200 0, 7306 61 300 0, 7306 61 700 0 and 7306 69 300 0.
The decision to increase import duties was taken in order to protect domestic producers from cheap imports.