Proposed increases for import duties on navigators supporting only the GPS system are expected to be agreed on by the end of this year, Kommersant business daily reported, citing Alexander Gurko, head of the Navigation and Information Systems (NIS), the Russian federal operator of GLONASS.
Russia is expected to start producing the first commercial navigators based on chips supporting both GPS and GLONASS by that time, the daily said.
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GLONASS, which stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, is an alternative to the US Global Positioning System (GPS).
The proposed hikes in import duties are not expected to affect mobile phones and communicators with GPS navigators in 2010–2011 as Russian producers have not so far been able to offer their versions, Gurko said.
The Industry and Trade Ministry proposed raising import duties on GPS navigators to 25% from 5% of the customs value in July 2009 in order to stimulate the development of GLONASS.
GLONASS currently covers Russia’s entire territory and is expected to cover the globe at some point in the future.
