The state has zero duties on metals.

The duties on unalloyed nickel and copper cathodes are being reset, - "the Vedomosti".

The subcommittee on customs and tariff regulation under the chairmanship of Alexei Ulyukayev, the Minister of Economic Development, decided to do this without waiting for 2016 - the period which the WTO provided.

The steelmakers were eagerly waiting for this decision. For example, in 2013 "Norilsk Nickel" produced 232 000 tons of nickel products and 358 000 tons of copper. Through early zeroing of the duties on the basis of the consensus forecast for metal prices, "Norilsk Nickel" can save more than 11 billion roubles over two years. This amount is comparable to the amount, which is sufficient to close the nickel plant in Norilsk, solving the related environmental and social problems (more than 4 billion roubles).