Unforgotten things: seized unlabeled goods will be donated to charity
Seized unlabeled goods will be transferred for charitable purposes. The Cabinet of Ministers' bill containing this provision may be adopted in the State Duma by the end of February. Thus, the Ministry of Industry and Trade wants to limit the entry of counterfeit goods into secondary circulation. Now these products are sold at the auction of Rosimushchestvo, and if they are unsafe, they are immediately utilized. The initiative is supported both in most Duma factions and experts, who at the same time believe that confiscated goods should be thoroughly tested so as not to harm the health of citizens.
Counterfeit goods will be donated to charity
The government bill, suggesting the transfer to charity of goods withdrawn from circulation without labeling, the State Duma may adopt in the first reading as early as February 27. This "Izvestia" was told in the specialized committee of the lower house of parliament on state construction and legislation, which intends to consider the initiative at a meeting on February 10.
- I think we will support the bill," Yuri Sinelshchikov, the committee's first deputy chairman, told Izvestia.
Izvestia has learned that the Accounts Chamber and a number of regions, including the Altai and Krasnoyarsk Territories, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, the Nizhny Novgorod Region and others, have already sent a positive response to the initiative to the parliament.
The Cabinet of Ministers submitted the bill to the State Duma back in late December last year. The document was developed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade within the framework of the strategy to combat illicit trafficking of industrial products for the period up to 2025. It is proposed to fix in part 6 of article 32.4 of the Administrative Offenses Code provisions that goods without labeling confiscated by court decision can be transferred free of charge as humanitarian aid. The exception will be alcohol-containing medicines, perfumes and cosmetics, alcohol, tobacco and cigarettes.
Currently, unlabeled goods are subject to destruction, disposal and recycling if they are recognized as unsafe or unsuitable for their intended use. They are also transferred to Rosimushchestvo, which can realize them at auctions. In addition, at the request of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the "People's Front" light industry goods can be given for humanitarian purposes, but now this does not apply to the rest of the products.
The explanatory note emphasizes that the introduction of amendments will help prevent seized counterfeits from getting into secondary trafficking.
- The current general procedure for the disposal of confiscated goods provides for their destruction or sale depending on the preservation of consumer properties, the money from the sale goes to the federal budget. At the same time, the labeling system covers a wide range of consumer goods, including essential goods, which may be urgently needed by those who have fallen into difficult situations during military operations, emergencies (natural disasters, accidents, etc.) - explained to "Izvestia" the need to adopt the initiative in the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
They noted that since 2023 in Russia according to the adopted amendments to the legislation confiscated light industry goods (clothes and shoes) are already used for the needs of the population at the request of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the government has defined a special procedure for their transfer to help the needy.
- The Ministry of Industry and Trade has come up with a social initiative to extend this mechanism to all unlabeled consumer goods seized from illegal circulation for violations of labeling requirements, but suitable for intended use," the ministry's press service said.
"Izvestia" sent a request to the Federal Customs Service (FCS) with a request to comment on the volume of counterfeit goods for 2024. According to the service, only in January-August last year 66.7 thousand tons of goods with violations were detained, including 21.2 thousand tons of counterfeit goods, 5 thousand tons of unlabeled goods, 1.2 thousand tons of sanctioned goods.
"Izvestia also sent inquiries to Rosimushchestvo with a request to explain how exactly the new norms will help to fight against the seized counterfeit goods getting into secondary circulation.
Why they decided to give counterfeit goods to charity
The majority of the State Duma factions told Izvestia that they are ready to support the bill.
- The fight against illicit trafficking and counterfeiting is one of the most important areas of work of both the State Duma and our faction. When it is also colored by the fact that these goods, provided they are of good quality, can be used for charity, it is a double plus. We will scrutinize the bill closer to its consideration," Adalbi Shkhagoshev, deputy chairman of the United Russia faction, told Izvestia.
Oleg Nilov, the first deputy chairman of the Just Russia - For Truth faction, believes that the bill deserves support, especially since there is now a huge need for humanitarian aid in the territories where the SWO is taking place.
- I have had several legislative attempts to adopt similar norms, including the prohibition to destroy confiscated foodstuffs. Of course, if there are no claims to quality, both products and goods should be donated to charity," the deputy is convinced.
Nikolai Arefiev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy from the CPRF faction, agrees with him.
- Especially now these goods may be needed in the border areas with Ukraine. Such a bill should have been adopted a long time ago," the politician said.
This opinion is shared by the head of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans' Affairs from the LDPR Yaroslav Nilov. According to him, the faction has also repeatedly proposed to adopt such initiatives.
It is important that such goods before their transfer should be examined for compliance with the requirements to their quality, said Oleg Pavlov, head of the Public Consumer Initiative. If such a procedure is passed and the goods are recognized as suitable, including sanitary rules, then it is indeed possible not to dispose of them, but to transfer them to those in need, he added. According to the expert, this will also benefit the state, which will save money on utilization.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
