In October 2025, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) of Russia initiated a regulatory proposal requiring online marketplaces to disclose the country of origin, Harmonized System (HS) code, and customs declaration number for goods imported from non-EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) countries. This measure was prompted by a marked increase in complaints about unlawful imports and recent inspections that identified thousands of undeclared goods on warehouse premises. The proposed amendments form part of a broader government effort to bolster transparency and compliance in digital commerce, amid ongoing concerns about counterfeit products and violations of customs and consumer protection laws.
Recent years have seen an exponential rise in cross-border sales on Russian marketplaces. Marketplaces have become primary channels for imports from China and other Asian countries, especially following the departure of several Western brands. Ozon, for instance, reported a tenfold increase in Chinese sellers between 2022 and 2023, underlining the scale of international trade flows in Russia's digital retail sector. The regulatory environment, historically shaped by disparate consumer protection, IP, and competition laws, is evolving to reduce legal ambiguities and close accountability gaps in the online trading ecosystem. However, there is still no unified law solely governing marketplace activity, making new initiatives like the FCS proposal especially significant for sectoral practices (Gorodissky & Partners).
Impact on Product Feeds and Data Infrastructure
Implementation of origin, HS code, and customs declaration disclosure represents a substantial increase in required data granularity in product feeds. For marketplaces and sellers, this means that every product card for imported goods must integrate three new standardized data fields, elevating compliance with traceability and authenticity requirements. In the context of digital cataloguing, this regulatory move advances the completeness and reliability of product information, aligning with recent amendments that already oblige sellers to add EAC certification links to product descriptions (WWG). If adopted, such requirements will necessitate multiplatform content restructuring and the extension of data pipelines to include customs and import metadata. Accurate, verifiable documentation of country of origin and customs codes is not only a legal necessity but also a technical challenge for large-scale operators. Legacy cataloguing systems, often tailored to basic product attributes and price promotions, must now accommodate complex international compliance fields, which could force investment into new middleware, API integrations, and workflow automations. Effective product feed management will become even more critical, as described in our blog post, "Product feed - NotPIM"
Quality and Completeness of Product Cards
The FCS initiative is anticipated to drive marked improvement in the fidelity of product data, with each card reflecting official importation details. Such granularity will deter the circulation of counterfeit or undeclared goods and facilitate post-sale consumer protection and regulatory follow-ups. However, major platforms have voiced operational concerns: Wildberries notes that tracking goods by individual customs declaration numbers would be difficult for importers, while Ozon points out that these data are already captured in invoices, but would require a state verification mechanism to be reliably reflected in product card interfaces. The divergence of opinions signals that technical and regulatory harmonization is still ongoing.
From an operational standpoint, improved product card completeness translates into enhanced consumer trust and reduced disputes, as customers gain access to authoritative details on product provenance and legality. There is a clear trend toward harmonizing Russian retail standards with international best practices, such as those in the EU and China, where product origin and compliance data are mandatory for cross-border digital trade (AEB Position Paper). Despite the procedural complexity, marketplaces acknowledge the need for robust oversight, though some view the new proposal as potentially redundant or resource-intensive. The ability to handle and integrate different data formats is paramount, like what is discussed in our article, "CSV Format: How to Structure Product Data for Smooth Integration - NotPIM".
Speed-to-Market, No-Code Solutions, and AI Automation
Additional compliance fields and controls could create marginal delays in launching new products, especially for international sellers and aggregators with high SKU turnover. As marketplaces scale, manual data entry or multi-step declaration processes can introduce bottlenecks, reducing speed-to-market for new goods. To mitigate such issues, there is a visible industry trend toward the adoption of no-code platforms and artificial intelligence solutions that accelerate document verification, automate customs data integration, and synchronize product attributes across distributed feeds. The Russian government’s promotion of digital labeling and anonymized data sets furthers the logic of centralized compliance, where data sharing and AI model training support regulatory oversight and business continuity (Denuo Legal). Implementing artificial intelligence for business is discussed further in our article, "Artificial Intelligence for Business - NotPIM".
AI-driven tools for auto-completing customs-compliance fields, parsing declaration metadata, and generating compliant product descriptions are rapidly maturing. These systems promise not only improved data accuracy, but also the scalability required for ongoing catalog expansion and regulatory adaptation. For smaller sellers and third-party vendors, cost-effective, code-free automation is critical amid rising compliance thresholds. The oncoming wave of mandatory data disclosure, combined with parallel tax and certification laws, will foster an ecosystem where AI and interoperability become non-negotiable prerequisites for success.
Strategic Implications for E-Commerce
The FCS proposal highlights a definitive shift in digital commerce governance, with Russia advancing toward integrated systems for import control, digital certification, and marketplace accountability. Initiatives in other jurisdictions—such as China’s e-commerce traceability protocols and the EU’s unified product origin regulations—offer proof-of-concept for the approach now materializing in Russia. These regulatory vectors are transforming product feed architectures and placing new demands on SaaS infrastructure design.
While the precise liability mechanisms for non-compliance and technical standards for data verification remain under discussion, the direction is unmistakable. State oversight is intensifying, and marketplaces must adapt rapidly—by extending cataloguing schemas, automating compliance workflows, and investing in systemic controls that guarantee product authenticity. These changes will influence every link in the supply chain, from procurement to post-sale support, upending legacy content management paradigms and solidifying e-commerce’s role as an accountable, data-driven sector. This presents challenges and needs for the how to create sales-driving product descriptions as discussed in our article, "How to Create Sales-Driving Product Descriptions Without Spending a Fortune - NotPIM".
For industry participants, the challenge lies in balancing regulatory compliance with operational efficiency, leveraging no-code tools and AI while ensuring that product feeds remain dynamic and scalable. The potential friction between added transparency and business agility may persist, but the prevailing trajectory points to deeper integration of international standards, stronger protection for consumers, and robust, interoperable content ecosystems. Managing the flow of this information can be resolved by using our solution, the "Delta Feed - NotPIM".
Sources: Gorodissky & Partners; WWG.
The upcoming regulatory changes in Russia underscore a global trend toward enhanced product data transparency within e-commerce. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for retailers and marketplaces alike. From our perspective at NotPIM, the ability to efficiently manage and integrate complex product data, including origin and customs information, will be vital. We anticipate increased demand for solutions that streamline product feed management, data enrichment, and compliance automation, all key areas where NotPIM offers significant value through our no-code SaaS platform. This evolution underscores the need for adaptable, scalable, and easily integrated tools to manage product data effectively.