- Статьи
- Society
- Don't drink to me: in the Russian Federation, they may introduce a state duty as part of the price of moonshine distillers
Don't drink to me: in the Russian Federation, they may introduce a state duty as part of the price of moonshine distillers
The Federal Service for Alcohol and Tobacco Market Control may introduce a state duty included in the price of moonshine distillers. The possibility of selling such equipment under a passport is also being considered. In addition, owners of units that have already been sold may be required to register them within a certain period of time. Experts believe that the introduction of regional restrictions on alcohol may lead to an increase in the illegal market. In addition, it is necessary to clearly distinguish in which case a person brews moonshine for his own consumption, and in which case it is for sale. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
What awaits the distillate market
The Federal Service for Alcohol and Tobacco Market Control has proposed to introduce a state duty, which will be included in the price of moonshine distillers.
"This measure is proposed for consideration as one of the regulatory instruments," the agency said. — The possibility of selling moonshine distillers according to a passport and introducing certification of their safety is also indicated as an offer.
In addition, owners of units that have already been sold may be required to register them within a certain period of time, the service added.
The ministry clarified that home-brewed moonshine is currently allowed in Russia, but the sale of such products is prohibited.
However, there are restrictions in this area in many countries. In the organization "Popular Front. Analytics" notes that regulatory measures are different in all cases, but it is worth noting that there are restrictions, including in the production of moonshine for personal needs.
"In Russia, this type of activity requires regulation and control," says an expert from the Popular Front. Analytics" by Roman Chikun. — First of all, it is important to reduce alcohol consumption by minors and eliminate harmful consequences.
Therefore, the proposals currently under discussion to ban the sale of moonshine distillers to persons under the age of 18, including on marketplaces, will be a positive measure, NF is convinced. In addition, experts consider it necessary to introduce a registration system for such equipment, regardless of the volume of products produced.
— When it comes to brewing moonshine for sale, the only possible option may be to register a legal entity and obtain an appropriate license, — says Chikun. — There can be no indulgences.
Fire safety certification is required
Moonshine distillers can now be purchased absolutely everywhere, in any price category, and even for minors, says Anna Iskhakova, Director of External Communications and GR at Tatspirtprom JSC. First of all, it is important to understand that a distiller is a potentially dangerous device, it contains a brew or a raw mixture with ethanol.
— Certification for fire safety should be the main condition for permission to sell the equipment, — says the expert. — Buyers should also understand their responsibilities and assess the risks of using a moonshine distiller. Therefore, the introduction of owner registration should be an effective measure.
Alexander Borisov, Chairman of the Consumer Market Development Council of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, believes that both the historical experience of different countries and today's experiment unequivocally show that bans and even serious punishments are not able to force people to change their habits overnight over many years of life.
— Politicians don't need to experiment on people, they need to help them change their lifestyle, create conditions for sports, and involve them in cultural life, — continues Alexander Borisov. — It may not be as effective as the ban on alcohol sales, but it's much more useful for a long time.
Dmitry Terentyev, Managing Partner of the Alcohol Law law firm, is convinced that the distillate market can only be regulated with a special license or a list similar to the brewers registry. Only companies with such a license or listed in the registry can produce distillates. The rest should be outside the law, the lawyer believes. According to him, small distilleries should be given the opportunity to "step out of the shadows" and allow them to prove their economic and legal viability.
— At the moment, criminal liability for the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages already exists, but there are a lot of "buts", — Dmitry Terentyev points out. — Of course, law enforcement officers will not be able to handle such a large volume of cases.
The Administrative Code provides for liability for illegal alcohol trafficking without a license. The fine for sole proprietors is 500 thousand rubles, for LLC — 3 million rubles. An individual, according to the expert's estimates, falls under criminal liability in case of repeated violations detected administratively. Moreover, in this case, the punishment is provided up to actual terms of imprisonment.
JSC Tatspirtprom explains that responsibility for moonshine brewing without the purpose of selling alcohol-containing products is currently not provided for by law. Responsibility for the sale of moonshine to third parties can range from administrative to criminal.
Regions that drink heavily
The introduction of additional restrictions on the retail sale of alcohol in the regions in excess of federal regulations may expand the illegal market and increase the turnover of counterfeit and surrogate products, admits Igor Kosarev, president of the Union of Alcohol Producers.
"Restrictions create significant unmet demand among the population, which will be instantly filled by an extensive network of illegal alcohol sales," he believes. — In parallel, there may be a transition to moonshine or the use of other substances in the region.
In his opinion, the regions that previously imposed the greatest number of restrictions (Tyva, the Trans-Baikal Territory, Yakutia) subsequently faced an increase in the level of illegal alcohol trafficking, the worst dynamics of sales legalization, falling budget revenues, etc.
Igor Kosarev believes that the country should have uniform federal rules for the sale of alcohol, since uncontrolled restrictions in the regions incline citizens to purchase illegal products. In addition, it weakens government measures against health-threatening surrogate and counterfeit alcohol.
Vadim Drobiz, director of the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, believes that today moonshine distillers are owned by "everyone who is not lazy" and "the peak of their sales has passed." In his opinion, it is worth registering such devices only if they have significant power. "No one will register small devices, especially in rural areas," Drobiz concludes.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
