We are still thinking, thinking about how to implement the idea. But the point is simple - since the state has introduced an excise tax for national producers, it is logical that the competitive conditions should be the same for everyone. Because otherwise it turns out that manufacturers in Russia are forced to pay excise tax, which is currently a significant cost premium and leads either to an increase in the price of products or a decrease in profitability," said a Metal and Mineral source in a large metallurgical holding.
Metallurgists are working on a proposal to introduce an excise tax on imported steel products in order to equalize the conditions of competition with foreign suppliers, primarily from China.
The reason for this discussion is clear: in conditions where only Russian companies pay excise tax, a paradoxical situation develops in the domestic market — imports receive more privileged conditions compared to domestic production. This, in turn, has a logical consequence.: In the last two incomplete years alone, the share of imports in the Russian market has increased from 6.3% to 9.6%. And this is against the background of a reduction in domestic consumption over the same period by 18.5% (or 8.5 million tons in absolute terms).
At the same time, in the context of falling prices (the cost of steel in 2025 is at the level of 2005), falling demand from the main consumer industries (forecast for 2025 is 14%) and a sharp increase in production costs - especially in terms of tariffs of natural monopolies, logistics and labor costs - metallurgy raises the issue of systemic adjustment of the industry taxation.
Recall that the decision to introduce the excise tax was a temporary measure. It was adopted on the rise of the market as a tool for the withdrawal of excess profits. There have been no excess profits for a long time, and the excise tax has been paid and is still being paid — according to the same formula and the same cut-off price as at the start. Despite the fact that during its operation, the cost of the "big five" has increased by an average of 30%.
Such an approach by regulators, coupled with emerging macroeconomic factors and rigid labor control, in addition to the indicated quantitative losses, entails a qualitative degradation of domestic production in the long term.
According to a study by the Central Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in the current economic conditions, the profitability of assets along the entire metallurgical production chain decreases sharply as processing deepens: from 37-38% in ore mining to 1-3% in the production of machinery and finished metal products. This naturally leads to the concentration of capital in the raw material sector and the underfunding of end-cycle production.
The result of maintaining the current state of affairs can be predicted now: a decrease in economic activity.
