Russia's Industry and Trade Ministry will revise the list of goods that are eligible for parallel imports.
Russia is set to modify its parallel import goods list, with draft revisions extending the list to include certain categories, such as goods under code TN VED 3303 00. These changes, which are still in the draft stage as of July 2025, aim to facilitate the import of select products despite sanctions or trade restrictions.
On the other hand, the European Union (EU) is tightening export/import restrictions concerning Russia. From January 21, 2026, the EU will expand import bans affecting goods linked to Russia, including petroleum products from Russian crude oil and machinery/advanced manufacturing tools that could be repurposed for military use.
Svetlana Legostaeva, head of the autonomous non-profit organization "Computing Technology," stated that the state is losing 12 billion rubles annually due to weak sales of Russian devices. In response, Russian computer and tablet manufacturers have requested restrictions on parallel imports of foreign brands in the consumer segment.
The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has prepared changes to the list of parallel import goods. As a result, a range of products may be excluded from parallel import, such as drilling machines, self-propelled roadheaders for coal or rock mining, tunnel boring machines, SAF trailer and semi-trailer axles, Trimble-branded geodetic instruments, Biorepair toothpaste, Braun electric shavers, and the Canadian brand Spin Master for gaming consoles and equipment.
On the contrary, certain medical, surgical, and dental device brands, including Carl Zeiss microscopes from Germany, could be added to the list of parallel import goods. The production of all Irbis-branded Russian diagonal TVs has been halted, and the initial list of brands included Samsung, Apple, Dell, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, L'Oreal, NYX, and Vichy.
The draft regulatory act for these changes is set to come into force on January 1, 2026, with certain provisions taking effect from October 30, 2025. Since its initial publication, the list has been repeatedly adjusted, with changes such as Duracell and Merries children's hygiene products being removed, but Lego products being added.
These changes come amidst market saturation with domestic products or equivalents from friendly countries, and the products of the "Quant" company have failed to appeal to retail customers, losing out to Korean and Chinese vendors in government procurement. The EU's expanding sanctions indirectly impact parallel imports involving Russia, but Russia's planned revisions to its parallel import list appear focused on extending authorizations regarding specific goods codes.
- The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade is proposing to restrict parallel imports of specific foreign brands in the consumer segment, such as drilling machines, SAF trailer and semi-trailer axles, Trimble-branded geodetic instruments, Biorepair toothpaste, Braun electric shavers, and the Canadian brand Spin Master for gaming consoles and equipment.
- In contrast, the draft regulatory act for these changes in Russia might include certain medical, surgical, and dental device brands, like Carl Zeiss microscopes from Germany, on the parallel import goods list.
