"The import duties on alcohol will be gradually lowered to 12.5% over three years," said Andrei Kushnirenko, a deputy head of a department on trade negotiations at the ministry.
He said that alcohol imports would increase after Russia joined the WTO, but lowering import duties would not affect the price of imported alcohol because the duty component in the price structure is insignificant.
The official also said that 90% of alcohol produced by member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States - a loose alliance of ex-Soviet republics - is imported without customs duties and the trend will continue in the future.
"Our accession to the WTO will not change anything," Kushnirenko said.
Russian officials have said that they hope to join the WTO by the end of the year.
