OREANDA-NEWS. February 14, 2011.  The duties may regain pre-crisis levels already in 2012 and fall to 15% by 2019. The import duties on news cars are to decrease from 30% to 25% as soon as Russia joins the WTO, Maksim Medvedkov, director of the Economic Development Ministry trade talks department.

Duty cuts are stipulated under the agreements of 2006, which require Russia to gradually cut duties from 25% to 15% over 7 years. The duty will decrease from 25% in the 1st year to 24% in the 2nd year, and further to 23% in the 3rd. For the four years thereafter, the duty will be gradually curtailed to 15%, Medvedkov went on to say. According to officials, Russia is scheduled to join the WTO before the end of 2011.