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Import duty on wines from NATO to become prohibitive if approved — customs

"Paying the duty and then carrying on with business, from an economic point of view, is possible only for very high-margin products," an official noted

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. Plans to impose a 200-percent import duty for wines from NATO countries have still not been finalized, but if the duty goes into effect, it will be akin to banning these products, head of the main department of the Russian customs service Maxim Chmora told TASS.

"We understand this duty will basically be like a ban since the high duty rate is categorized as prohibitive. Paying the duty and then carrying on with business, from an economic point of view, is possible only for very high-margin products," the official said. "No decision has been made so far," he added.

Agencies are discussing an increase in import customs duties for wine to determine where the upper limit of the duty could be, Chmora said earlier.

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