The bill on requirements for the localization of taxi cars may be considered in the second reading on May 13. According to the legislative support system, the State Duma Committee on Transport and Transport Infrastructure recommended adopting the bill in the second reading.
The bill amends the federal law on passenger taxi transportation (580-FZ), which came into force on September 1, 2023. Its authors are Senator Andrei Kutepov and Deputy Vladimir Gutenev. In January 2024, the bill was adopted in the first reading, after which it remained without movement for a long time.
Businessmen and associations opposed the initiative. They fear that the new requirements for passenger taxis will slow down the renewal of car fleets and create difficulties for self-employed drivers.
The plan was to introduce a requirement according to which, from October 1, 2025, a passenger car must be produced in Russia and have a localization level of at least 3200 points. This requirement corresponds to the criteria for admitting cars to public procurement in Russia.
For the second reading, Kutepov and the head of the State Duma Committee on Transport, Yevgeny Moskvichev, proposed postponing the entry into force of the law until March 1, 2026.
New rules have also appeared: cars produced under special investment contracts (SPIC) concluded between March 1, 2022, and March 1, 2025, can be used in taxis. From January 1, 2033, the only criterion for inclusion in the taxi register will be the number of points scored for localization, or a government decision (if it concerns a SPIC concluded after March 2025).
However, there are exceptions for the Kaliningrad Region and the Far East. In these regions, the requirements for taxi cars will not apply until March 1, 2028, and March 1, 2030, respectively.
Representatives of the business community have repeatedly pointed out that only models of cars produced by «АвтоВАЗ» will meet these requirements, as well as a limited list of less popular brands. Among them are highly localized models of «АвтоВАЗ», as well as some models of «Москвич» and Evolute electric vehicles.
Public organizations propose to postpone the entry into force of the law until it is agreed with the taxi industry. They insist on the introduction of subsidies for companies, clarification of technical requirements and the abolition of a rigid scoring system. Experts warn: without these measures, the law may lead to a decrease in the number of legal carriers and a deterioration in transport accessibility for people.
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