According to the agency "Autostat," in 2025, Kyrgyzstan ranked first among EAEU countries in the number of new passenger cars imported into Russia, totaling 53,600 units. Belarus came in second with 17,100 cars, while Kazakhstan rounded out the top three with 11,000. Only 344 new cars were imported from Armenia during the same period.
According to the new project, a unified formula will be applied for cars imported from EAEU countries, similar to that used for direct imports. Previously, it was possible to significantly reduce payments by using customs receipts (TPOs) or undervalued prices in documents. Now, the difference between Russian tax rates and those actually paid in the EAEU will be compensated by an increase in the recycling fee. Indirect taxes paid in the country of production or initial import will not be taken into account.
The Ministry emphasizes that the changes do not increase the basic coefficients of the fee but only eliminate circumvention schemes and create equal conditions for all market participants.
Experts predict a significant increase in car prices. According to Marat Sakhapov, director of CarPoint, loopholes with TPOs are practically closed: now even for imports by individuals, a commercial recycling fee will be applied with tax reassessments. These changes will particularly affect cars that were previously mass-imported through Kyrgyzstan using cargo declarations for subsequent resale in Russia.
Vyacheslav Zhigalov, president of the Union of Automobile Dealers, is confident that the reform will eliminate dumping by unscrupulous importers and make competition fairer, but this will reflect on end consumers in the form of price increases. Anton Shaparin, vice president of the National Automobile Union, provides an example: the recycling fee for a basic Chinese model already reaches 900,000 rubles, and after the introduction of the new amendments, many niche brands may become economically unviable for import.
Lawyer Lev Voropaev reminds us of the main goal of the initiative — to protect the domestic market and support local manufacturers. However, experts warn that a reduction in gray imports may lead to a slowdown in the market, a decrease in supply, and further price increases for both imported and Russian cars due to reduced competition.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in 2025, more than 90,000 individuals and about 500 legal entities imported cars through the EAEU into Russia — this channel will now come under strict control. Although the project has not yet been finalized, the likelihood of it coming into effect on April 1 is high, as the agency systematically closes the remaining "loopholes" in parallel imports. For motorists planning to make a purchase in the coming months, this serves as a signal to hurry with the current arrangements or prepare for significant price increases.
