While not illegal, the agency notes, Acer’s actions contrast with those of key Western competitors such as Dell and HP, which cut off supplies in February and April 2022, respectively, after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Customs documents show that Acer equipment was delivered to Russia both through a 100% subsidiary of Acer, registered in Switzerland, and through a number of delivery services commissioned by this subsidiary.
Since the shipments were made outside of Taiwan, they did not violate Taipei’s sanctions against Russia. They also did not apply to items whose export was subject to a Swiss sanctions regime at the time of export, similar to that in the European Union.
But in a statement dated April 8 last year, the company said: “Due to recent events, Acer has decided to suspend its business in Russia.”
When asked about subsequent exports to Russia through its Swiss subsidiary Acer Sales International SA, Taiwanese company Acer said that “we strictly adhere to applicable international regulations and trade laws regarding exports to Russia.”
She added that the Swiss subsidiary “has not shipped laptops or desktops to Russia since April 8 last year,” but that it has supplied the Russian market with “a limited number of displays and accessories for everyday use by civilians while ensuring compliance with international sanctions.”
Acer did not say why it continues to ship its goods to Russia, despite the fact that it said it would suspend its activities there.
Business through Switzerland
A source familiar with the details of the shipments, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that Acer products, including PC monitors and laptops, continued to ship to Russia after April 2022.
Reuters was unable to determine where some of the Acer products that can still be found on sale in Russia came from or when they arrived in the country.
Swiss sanctions, like those of the EU, allow the export of laptops and computer components to Russia until December 16, 2022. After this date, no new prohibited Acer products were delivered to Russia from Switzerland.
The company told Reuters that importers in Russia may have received Acer devices from third countries.
According to consulting firm IDC Russia, Acer accounted for 18.5% of all PCs sold in Russia in the fourth quarter of 2021, while HP and Dell accounted for 20.8%.
The deliveries show that, despite international sanctions aimed at restricting Russians’ access to technology and equipment, foreign-made goods remain available to consumers.
And Artem Zhavoronkov, a partner at the St. Petersburg law firm Nordic Star, said Acer risks damaging its reputation.
G7 leaders at a recent meeting in Japan spoke out to tighten sanctions on Russia and stop Moscow’s attempts to evade them.
Supply cuts
Russian customs data show that between April 8, 2022 and March 31, 2023, at least 744 shipments of Acer products entered Russia, up from 3,735 shipments a year earlier, totaling $244.3 million.
According to the data, in monetary terms, shipments fell by 71.1%, while the bulk of the shipments accounted for laptops and PC monitors.
Taiwan announced that it will join the sanctions against Russia on February 25, 2022, by obtaining a special export permit required for technological goods included in the list compiled by the government.
Taiwan’s economy ministry told Reuters that high-performance electronics, including monitors, displays and laptops, are on the list and export applications “will not be approved in principle.”
The ministry said that as of the end of March 2023, Acer had not applied for such permits, and there are no Taiwanese customs records for exporting Acer to Russia. The ministry declined to comment further.
The main supplier of Acer equipment to Russia last year was Acer Sales International SA, registered in the city of Bioggio in the southern Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland.
#Taiwans #Acer #sends #computers #Russia #announcement #business #suspension #Reuters
2023-06-09 05:59:58
