ITALIAN WINE EXPORTS DOUBLED IN RUSSIA DESPITE HEAVY TAXES. MOSCOW RESTAURANTS CHARGE 10 TIMES THE STARTING CELLAR PRICE. THE RUSSIAN ANTITRUST: “CARTEL OF THE MAIN PLAYERS”. IMPORTERS: “TOO MANY TAXES”

Italian wine exports to Russia have doubled despite the heavy import taxes. Coldiretti (the Italian Farm Trading Union) is overjoyed because the “Red Square” increased imports of Italian labels by 122% in 2009.
However, they have received news that in some, even middle level restaurants in Moscow, Italian wines cost 10 times their cellar price, even if they are inexpensive wines. Are restaurateurs and retailers to blame for speculating? No, or at least not completely. One of the dominant factors is the heavy tax to which imported wine is subject. This situation has been going on for years. Now the Russian Antitrust has finally realized that something is not right. And, it is not only Italian wines that have been hit, but also French wines are sold on the Moscow market at prohibitive prices. According to the Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) it is a cartel agreement and the beginning of political monopoly of the major players.
However, the importers claim that taxes and importation duties weigh heavily on prices. “On the price of a bottle, let’s say it costs 8,000 rubles (180 euros), one third are taxes,” explained Anatoly Korneev of “Simple Wines” the largest importer of Italian wine, to Apcom. Korneev also said it should be noted that wine - unlike beer - is in the same category of products as vodka, which are particularly highly taxed. This is why, among other things, the gap between the cost of a liter of beer and a liter of wine seems exorbitant to Russians.

Besides taxes, customs duties are, in some cases, even higher than what the Russian law provides. For example, as soon as the customs union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was formed, truck drivers transporting wine from Europe to Moscow saw the application of heavier, unexpected taxes as they entered Belarus, even though they were only to be passing through this territory.
A long controversy and better coordination between Member States of the Union has improved the situation. However, wine is still a very particular product for the markets of the former Soviet Union and particularly for Russia. And it also regards Italy: the analysis of customs operations in Russia showed that wine is imported from 35 countries, but 40% of it comes from only three: Italy, France and Spain.