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Russia has raised import duties on hard liquor from countries it designates as “unfriendly” to 35% of customs value, with a minimum charge of five euros per liter. The temporary measure runs through the end of 2027; Interfax, citing a draft-budget explanatory note, reported an expected 10 billion rubles in additional revenue in 2027.
Russia has raised import duties on hard liquor from countries it calls “unfriendly” to 35% of customs value, with a minimum of five euros per liter, up from a 20% rate and a three-euro minimum. The measure is temporary and is scheduled to remain in effect through December 2027, increasing the cost of importing covered spirits and potentially bringing more revenue to the federal budget.
The previous duty was set at 20% of customs value, with a minimum charge of three euros per liter. The new rate raises the percentage charge by 15 percentage points and lifts the minimum by two euros per liter. The minimum can matter particularly for products whose customs value would otherwise produce a lower charge under the percentage calculation.
Interfax reported, citing an explanatory note to the draft federal budget, that the higher duties are expected to add 10 billion rubles to budget revenue in 2027. That figure is a forecast reported from the budget note, not a measure of revenue already collected. The available report does not give a breakdown by product, importer, or country.
The new rate applies to hard liquor imported from countries included in Russia’s “unfriendly” category. The report does not list the countries covered or specify whether the government has published additional guidance about how the revised charge will be calculated for different products. It describes the policy as a temporary measure through the end of 2027.
Higher Costs for Covered Spirits
The duty changes the tax calculation for covered imports, raising both the percentage rate and the minimum charge per liter. Importers may face higher costs, which could affect the prices or availability of some foreign spirits in Russia, although the report does not establish whether companies will pass the added expense on to consumers.
The government’s budget estimate gives the measure a fiscal dimension as well: Interfax’s report of the draft-budget note projects 10 billion rubles in added revenue in 2027. The estimate concerns a future budget year and does not establish how much the duty will ultimately raise. Actual results could depend on import volumes, product values, and how businesses respond to the higher charge.
The policy also adds to the use of import duties as a targeted trade measure against goods from designated countries. For consumers, retailers, and importers, the immediate practical question is how the new minimum and percentage rate will affect individual products once applied at customs.
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How the Duty Has Changed
Russia last revised duties on hard liquor from “unfriendly” countries in 2024. According to Meduza’s report, the previous system charged between 1.3 and 1.4 euros per liter. The 2024 change moved to a rate of 20% of customs value plus three euros per liter of pure alcohol content. Meduza reported that, for some inexpensive beverages, the resulting charges were lower than under the earlier system.
The latest increase therefore follows a change that did not raise costs for every product in the same way. The reported terms describe the new minimum as five euros per liter; they do not specify in the source whether every detail of the 2024 calculation, including its reference to pure alcohol content, remains unchanged. The stated comparison is the prior 20% rate and three-euro floor.
In September 2026, the Russian government also increased import duties on dietary supplements from “unfriendly” countries to 35%, according to Meduza. That measure exempted Hungary and Slovakia. It concerned a different category of goods, and the report does not say that those exemptions apply to hard liquor.
“For some cheap beverages, the new duties in 2024 turned out to be lower than before.”
— Meduza’s report on the 2024 duty change
Details Still Missing From the Report
The report does not provide a full list of the countries designated “unfriendly” for this measure, the exact date the new rate took effect, or product-level examples showing how the duty will be calculated. It also does not clarify whether the five-euro minimum applies to each liter of the finished beverage or through another customs calculation, or how the new terms interact with the earlier reference to pure alcohol content.
The 10 billion-ruble figure is described as an expected addition to revenue in 2027, based on an explanatory note to the draft federal budget. The final budget treatment and actual receipts remain unknown. Nor does the source report how importers, retailers, or consumers are responding, or whether prices or supply have changed.
The measure is described as temporary through the end of 2027. The report does not say whether Russia plans to extend it, revise it, or let it expire after that date.
Implementation Through 2027
The next practical developments to watch are publication of the final budget materials and any government or customs guidance spelling out how the 35% rate and five-euro minimum apply to particular shipments. Such detail would help importers determine the charges they face and clarify whether the minimum is assessed per liter of finished product or under another calculation.
Budget reporting later in 2027 may show whether customs revenue is approaching the 10 billion-ruble forecast. Import data or company statements could also provide evidence of changes in shipment volumes, product availability, or pricing, none of which is established in the initial report. Under the reported schedule, the higher duty remains in place through the end of 2027 unless the government changes it earlier.
Key Questions
What is Russia’s new duty on hard liquor from “unfriendly” countries?
The rate is 35% of customs value, with a minimum charge of five euros per liter, according to Meduza’s report.
How does the new rate compare with the previous one?
The previous rate was 20%, with a three-euro-per-liter minimum. The new percentage rate is 15 percentage points higher and the minimum is two euros higher per liter.
How long is the measure scheduled to last?
The increase is described as temporary and is scheduled to remain in effect through the end of 2027. The report does not say whether it will be extended.
How much additional revenue is the duty expected to raise?
Interfax, citing an explanatory note to the draft federal budget, reported an estimate of 10 billion rubles in 2027. This is a forecast, not confirmed revenue already collected.
Will the higher duty raise liquor prices for consumers?
That is not yet clear. The higher charge may increase costs for importers, but the report does not say whether businesses will pass those costs on to consumers or whether prices have changed.
Source: meduza.io
