The Government of the Russian Federation proposed to revise the criteria by which the “suitability” of a car for use in a taxi will be assessed, and to judge localization not by a point system, but by the country of production — allowing for operation cars assembled not only in Russia, but also in countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. The topic was raised at a meeting of the Russian Government Commission on Legislative Activities as part of the discussion of the bill on the localization of taxi cars, which is being prepared for consideration in the State Duma in the second reading.
The reason for this decision of the Cabinet of Ministers could be the results of President Vladimir Putin’s recent trip to China. During the visit, the head of state expressed interest in organizing the production of Chinese cars in Russia and his readiness to provide benefits and access to the technological base to Chinese investors, and even proposed the Kaluga region as a possible partner in the development of the automobile industry. Taking into account the tasks set by the president, it was logical to soften the strict localization requirements. This will allow the use of not only Ladas in taxis; or «Muscovites», but also, for example, Chinese models produced on Russian sites.
Noting the importance of government amendments, experts believe that not all problem areas have been eliminated — it is important to reconsider the criteria for the implementation of requirements by carriers, including the very need to use only localized vehicles.
The Working Group on Taxi Aggregators of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs is confident that the new version of the bill — as amended by the Cabinet of Ministers — is more in line with the current situation: by simplifying localization requirements, the government showed that it will not put pressure on the industry. At the same time, the bill still does not take into account the specifics of the industry: it is based on individual entrepreneurs with small fleets and self-employed people with their own cars, many of which “tax” their vehicles. in free time from main work. “This category itself bears the costs of purchasing and maintaining cars. And if for large carriers updating the taxi fleet — planned process, then for “part-time workers” buying a new car — a significant expense item. Not every one of them is ready to take this serious step, especially not by force. In the context of rising car prices and high lending rates, it will be easier for such drivers to leave taxis, which will lead to a reduction in the number of legal carriers. Let us remind you that the shortage of taxi drivers in the country already amounts to tens of thousands of people,” — reported to the Working Group.
Considering the urgency of the issue, a number of State Duma deputies and representatives of the Public Council for Taxi Development also came up with initiatives to remove the self-employed from localization requirements.
One of the solutions could be state support for this category of drivers. This is also the opinion of the Association of Self-Employed People of Russia, which appealed to the State Duma with a request to consider options for subsidizing the purchase of localized cars. The cost of such a car significantly exceeds the market average and can cost a taxi driver several years’ worth of income. Currently, subsidies for the purchase of cars for taxis and car sharing are allocated only in Moscow. Experts suggest considering similar support mechanisms at the federal level.
Recall that the purpose of the document developed by Senator A. Kutepov and State Duma Deputy V. Gutenev is to support the domestic auto industry. It was supposed to give regions the right to establish mandatory requirements for vehicles used in taxis. In particular, measure the level of their localization in points.