The tax manoeuvre affects the metallurgists.

The RF Ministry of Industry and Trade is concerned about the oil reforms.

The tax manoeuvre in the oil industry, proposed by the RF Ministry of Finance to reduce indirect subsidies to the domestic market, may hit the competitiveness of other industries, according to the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade. The reduction of export duties on benzene and petroleum coke will lead to a shortage of raw materials and raise their prices, which will affect not only the petrochemists, but also the metallurgy, including the aluminum industry.

"The Kommersant" has a letter dated September 3rd from Viktor Evtuhov, the deputy head of the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade, to Arkady Dvorkovich, the Deputy Prime Minister, with comments regarding the proposals of the RF Ministry of Finance to amend the Tax Code and the law on customs tariff associated with the "big tax manoeuvre" in the oil industry, at the disposal. The manoeuvre was necessary to increase the revenues and reduce the indirect subsidies to the internal market (see "the Kommersant" dated August 21). The fears of the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade have led to changes in export tariff rates for benzene and petroleum coke. The duty on benzene (raw materials for the petrochemical industry) should be reduced from 66% of the duty on crude oil to 48% in 2015, to 40% in 2016 and to 30% in 2017. The RF Ministry of Finance proposes to set the coke rate no higher than 6.5% of the duty on crude oil. Now it is 66% and is expected to grow to 100% in 2015.