In the State Duma, they discussed the problems of the tire industry

At a round table meeting in the State Duma, the problems of the tire industry were discussed, and, as reported by deputy Aydar Metshin, one of the main goals now is to protect domestic producers from unfair competition.

"The flow of 'gray' imports through marketplaces is hitting legitimate businesses and the safety of motorists," he noted. "Today, our manufacturers are in a situation of unequal struggle with foreign competitors who semi-legally import tires of questionable quality into the country and then sell them online."

Metshin added that the lack of "Fair Sign" labeling and certification for tires purchased online is a "huge problem". "It is necessary to establish direct liability for marketplace operators for selling goods that do not meet safety requirements," the deputy stated.

To protect manufacturers, it is also proposed to exclude tires from the list of goods for personal use, which "will close the loophole for duty-free import of commercial batches under the guise of personal belongings", and the agenda also includes reducing the threshold for duty-free import and expanding liability for paying the environmental fee.

According to Metshin, "the further 'life' of tires after the end of their operation is also of concern". "Today, the collectability of such raw materials is extremely low," he pointed out. "Such solutions as mandatory acceptance of used tire products at points of sale when buying new ones, as well as the creation of a network of municipal tire collection points following the successful model of Tatarstan, are being worked out."

"These measures are designed to create fair competition, improve road safety and, in the long term, improve the environmental situation in the country," the deputy concluded.