Russian media reports say that Fiat’s Serbian plant may commence exports of the 500L model to Russia in June.
The reports cite remarks by Zeljko Sertic, Serbia’s minister of economy. Sertic reportedly said that agreement from Russia’s customs union members is almost secured.
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The current free trade agreement between Russia and Serbia, signed in 2000, does not include cars. Serbia has been trying to receive a right for duty-free car exports to Russia for several years, reports say.
Serbia’s Fiat car plant produces Fiat 500L vehicles and its annual production capacity stands at 200,000 units annually. The facility plans to make 100,000 cars in 2015.
Exports to Russia are unlikely to be large in the short-term, but receiving permission to ship cars duty free from Serbia to Russia could be important to the Serbian plant’s prospects in the future when Russia’s automotive market recovers from the current slump.
