- Статьи
- Economy
- Stop, crane: in Russia they want to abandon public procurement of foreign building materials
Stop, crane: in Russia they want to abandon public procurement of foreign building materials
The Cabinet of Ministers is considering the possibility of introducing a national regime for the purchase of granite, glass and ceramic products by state institutions, state-owned companies and state corporations, follows from the minutes of the meeting of the government subcommittee, which was reviewed by Izvestia. If the initiative is approved, suppliers of goods from Russia and other EAEU countries will receive priority when participating in such purchases compared to products from other foreign manufacturers. The need for this measure is being discussed against the background of a reduction in the production of building materials in the Russian Federation: last year, output decreased by 8.3%, and in 2026, according to market forecasts, it may decrease by another 22%.
What changes can be expected in the sphere of building materials
The Government is considering extending the national regime to granite, glass and ceramics. If the decision is made, government agencies, state-owned companies and state corporations will give preference to Russian-made goods and products from the EAEU countries when purchasing. This is stated in the minutes of the meeting of the subcommittee on increasing the stability of the financial sector and certain sectors of the economy of the government commission on increasing the stability of the Russian economy in the face of sanctions. Izvestia has reviewed the document. The Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed to Izvestia that they are working on the possibility of such innovations together with relevant industries.
The need for this measure is being discussed against the background of the deteriorating situation in the industry. According to the document, in 2025, the production of building materials in Russia decreased by 8.3%. According to the joint forecast of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Transport, in 2026 the decline may amount to another 22% in a risky scenario or 6% in a baseline scenario.
The national regime operates within the framework of Government Decree No. 1875. It applies to purchases under laws 44-FZ and 223-FZ, that is, to state and municipal purchases, as well as purchases by state-owned companies and state corporations. If the product is included in the lists of the resolution, Russian manufacturers and companies from the EAEU countries receive an advantage when participating in such purchases.
How can the national regime work in the building materials market?
At the same time, experts note that it will not be easy to extend this mechanism to the construction industry. Dmitry Tortev, a member of the expert council of the State Duma Committee for the Protection of Competition, explained that most construction projects are implemented according to the turnkey scheme, in which the contractor purchases materials and orders the work in a single package.
In such conditions, certain types of products, such as tiles, glass or granite, cannot be allocated for independent purchases, so the national regime may be ineffective.
According to the expert, it is first necessary to analyze what proportion of glass, ceramic and granite products are actually purchased under government construction contracts. In addition, market participants consider it necessary to strengthen control over the confirmation of the country of origin of goods in order to exclude cases of substitution of manufacturers. At the same time, the new requirements should not create additional administrative costs for bona fide manufacturers, Dmitry Tortev noted.
The Association of Manufacturers of Ceramic Materials (APCM) believes that at the same time it is necessary to simplify the procedure for confirming the Russian origin of products. In addition, they propose to allow the government, if necessary, to impose a temporary ban on the import of certain categories of goods from non—EAEU countries, if such products are manufactured in Russia.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in 2025, Russian goods already accounted for 65% of the value of government purchases. At the same time, the government continues to improve the rules for confirming the country of origin of products.
What is the share of imports of building materials in the Russian Federation
Estimates of the share of imports in the industry vary markedly. The Ministry of Industry and Trade previously stated that imports occupy no more than 4% of the building materials market and mainly account for niche products of the premium segment. At the same time, the Association of Ceramic Manufacturers claims that the share of imports in the ceramic tile segment has reached 33%. At the same time, the bulk of supplies is provided not from unfriendly countries, but from other foreign countries.
According to experts, the dependence of the Russian market on imports remains high in certain segments. According to economist Dmitry Prokofiev, it can reach 20-60% in premium finishing materials, and Turkey and China are the main suppliers. And in the ceramic tile segment there are Italy, Spain, Germany and Poland, although supplies from these countries often go through transit hubs in Turkey, the UAE and the EAEU countries, he added.
As for natural stone, about a third of its volumes consumed in Russia are imported from Finland, China and African countries, the Trade Group estimated in January last year. First of all, they import materials that are not mined in Russia, for example, Chinese and African coal—black granites, the company noted.
What are the reasons for the decline in the production of building materials in the Russian Federation
The decline in the production of building materials in the Russian Federation, which began in 2026, will continue against the background of a slowdown in the construction industry, said Georgy Ostapkovich, research director of the HSE Center for Market Research. He attributes this, in particular, to the completion of the mass preferential mortgage program in July 2024: currently, market mortgage rates are about 20% per annum.
Accordingly, only those who invest in the initial payment of funds from the sale of an existing apartment in order to improve living conditions can purchase housing today. Buying a new apartment in addition to the existing one is available only to high-income categories of citizens, the analyst noted.
Dmitry Baranov, a leading expert at Finam Management Management Company, drew attention to the fact that the decline in construction materials production is due not only to a decrease in demand from the construction industry, but also to increased competition with imported products. At the same time, according to him, the national regime in public procurement and procurement of state-owned companies alone will not solve the problems of the industry: it supports sales, but does not eliminate the high cost of financing, does not stimulate the modernization of enterprises and does not increase demand.
The construction materials industry could benefit from preferential loans for working capital and equipment purchases, subsidies for interest on loans and R &D, simplification of technical regulation, certification and approval of new materials for use, the fight against counterfeiting and gray imports (bona fide domestic manufacturers have a growing chance to maintain margins and market share), the expert believes.
Dmitry Prokofiev believes that without the restoration of investment activity and the construction sector, protectionist measures alone will not be enough. In his opinion, the industry needs a range of support measures, including reducing the cost of financing and investing in the modernization of production facilities.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
