MOSCOW, January 1. /TASS/. The Russian government has extended the mechanism of so-called parallel import, which allows the import of goods without the consent of the copyright holder, for 2026.

As the Industry and Trade Ministry told TASS, the volume of parallel imports in 2025 fell to an average of $2 billion per month from $4 billion at the time when this mechanism was introduced. The ministry noted that this trend reflects the successful adjustment of the economy to sanctions pressure, the growth of domestic production, and an increase in the supply of similar products from friendly countries.

The list of goods permitted for parallel import will be reduced in categories where Russian manufacturers or companies from friendly countries have largely replaced firms from unfriendly countries, namely in cosmetics, electronics, and light industry, the ministry said.

In general, the parallel import mechanism was introduced as a temporary anti-crisis measure. Its further implementation will depend on both domestic industrial potential and the establishment or renewal of official distribution channels, the Industry and Trade reported.

In early March 2022, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree abolishing liability for so-called parallel imports. The government allowed the import of popular original foreign-made goods into the country without the consent of the copyright holders. Since then, the list of goods permitted for import has been updated several times.