Russia firms seek microchip import barriers

RUSSIA: Two Russian tech companies, preparing to launch domestic microchip production in partnership with STMicroelectronics, are lobbying the state to ban imports of similar products, newspapers said on Wednesday.

Sistema, which already produces chips such as SIM cards for mobile phones, and state venture Rosnano, are preparing to invest 16.5 billion roubles ($534.7 million) in a joint venture to produce 90 nanometre chips with STMicro as their technological partner, Kommersant said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is due to consider the issue on Sept 20, they said.

Vedomosti newspaper said the proposal would give Russian producers unspecified priority in the market for microchips used in passports, travelcards, retail security devices, pharmaceutical products and archive materials.

It proposes that Russia should use only domestic SIM cards for mobile phones.