Not one more: counterfeit producers to be cut off from alcohol production
Entrepreneurs who have significantly violated the relevant regulations will not be allowed to produce ethanol, for example, if an alcoholic beverage company under their management has been deprived of its license. Such a measure was proposed by the Anti-Counterfeiting Association. The State Commission on counteraction to illegal turnover of products under the leadership of First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has already instructed the Ministry of Finance and Rosalkogoltabakkontrol (RAR) to consider the initiative. Alcohol counterfeit with methanol annually causes poisoning of up to 1.5 thousand Russians, recalled in the Federation Council.
Who will not be able to produce alcohol
The Ministry of Finance and the RAR should assess how rational it is to prohibit businessmen, who have significantly violated the specialized regulation, to register technological equipment for the production of ethyl alcohol. In fact, the agencies are considering the issue of banning such entrepreneurs from ethanol production. This instruction was given by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov following the results of the last meeting of the State Commission on counteraction to illegal turnover of industrial products, which he supervises. The deadline is the second quarter of 2025. "Izvestia" familiarized with the document.
In the Ministry of Industry and Trade "Izvestia" confirmed that Denis Manturov gave such an instruction. The ministry also noted that earlier the president of the association "Antikontrafakt", State Duma deputy Vladislav Reznik addressed the authorities with such an initiative.
The Ministry also recalled that on September 1, 2025 in the Russian Federation will come into force amendments to 171-FZ "On state regulation of production and turnover of ethyl alcohol ...": the country will have a new list, which will include persons with unsatisfactory business reputation.
- This is a new institution in the regulation of the industry: such a list will include entrepreneurs who have grossly violated the legislation in this area - for example, if they have been brought to criminal or administrative responsibility by a court decision. The list will also include those who managed alcoholic beverage companies, were members of a collegial management body or directly controlled an organization that had its license revoked. Such businessmen will not be able to manage alcohol business within five years from the date of listing, - explained in the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
So far, such a list will be relevant only for the alcohol sector. It may include, for example, producers of counterfeit goods, violators of tax laws, etc.
According to the RAR statistics, for nine years the service has liquidated a little more than 1 thousand illegal production facilities, seized 962 units of vehicles, 8.1 thousand units of basic technological equipment and 168.3 million liters of ethanol and alcohol. The specialists also dismantled 628 bottling lines. These data were provided by the service at the end of 2024.
The Ministry of Finance responded that they are working on the order.
One of the high-profile cases under the article on the provision of services that do not meet safety standards was the case of Anar Gusenov, CEO of the company that sold surrogate alcohol "Mr. Cider". In June 2023, more than 40 people in several regions of Russia died of poisoning from methyl alcohol contained in the drink. Huseynov was charged under part 3 of article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the punishment under it provides for up to 10 years of imprisonment.
What is the danger of counterfeit production
Behind every case of mass poisoning with low-quality products are exactly those with poor business reputation, who today can freely organize new production, which will be excluded by the proposed amendments, said "Izvestia" Vladislav Reznik. There is no place in the industry for those who put their own interests above the interests of the state and the health of its citizens, he emphasized. Moreover, such practice has already proved itself in the banking sector, although there are slightly different criteria for determining unsatisfactory reputation.
- This approach will be an additional tool in the fight against illegal production of alcohol, because it is the basis for counterfeit alcohol, - explained "Izvestia" head of the association "Antikontrafakt", MP Vladislav Reznik. - Ethanol production is a very sensitive area both socially and economically.
In the end, it should guarantee the quality of the product, as well as ensure the excise tax to the budget, in 2025 it is 740 rubles per liter of anhydrous alcohol, he added.
The expert is sure: the new proposals do not create difficulties for business and the industry, on the contrary, they will contribute to whitewashing the market and its growth due to the fact that the share of counterfeit products will be reduced. And bona fide companies will only benefit, consumers will get more quality and safe products, not to mention the increase in budget revenues due to additional excise taxes.
Participants of the Union of producers of cognac, alcohol and alcoholic beverages, which includes leading enterprises of the industry, support the proposed amendments on the production of ethyl alcohol, said "Izvestia" in the organization.
- If a person has already seriously violated the relevant legislation, he should not be allowed to produce ethanol, especially for the food industry: alcohol is used not only as an independent drink, but also as an ingredient in cooking," said Sergei Ryabukhin, first deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Budget and Financial Markets, who supervises the SF working group on improving state regulation of production and turnover of alcoholic beverages.
According to him, the new proposed approach should reduce or in principle eliminate the production of dangerous for people counterfeit products, which, for example, contains methanol. Every year up to 1.5 thousand people are poisoned by such products.
- We assume that the producers of such products understand what raw materials they use for drinks: deadly methanol or technical alcohol, which are absolutely unsuitable for consumption," the senator explained.
Taking into account the danger of illegal alcohol, the main efforts of the authorities should be focused on suppressing violations in this area, this is possible only with total digital control of the state over the entire production process, said "Izvestia" head of the "Public Consumer Initiative" Oleg Pavlov.
This includes supervision over equipment, raw materials, final products, their transportation and sale, he explained. The state has already implemented this approach for the most part. For example, the authorities have integrated two information platforms for alcohol control into each other: the EGAIS and the labeling system, which makes it possible to identify violations more quickly.
- It is also important to remove restrictions and start bringing violators to justice; for the time being, there is a moratorium on inspections in the industry, which means that the RAR cannot in practice apply full-fledged sanctions to offenders. Many violations in the sphere of alcoholic beverages turnover still end only with the announcement of warnings, which do not oblige to anything, - added the expert.
As for the prohibition to engage in certain activities for business, this measure should not replace the main sanctions, i.e. fines, suspension of activities, confiscation of goods and so on, it can be considered as an incentive to good behavior, he concluded.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
