Russia will require importers bringing goods from Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to pay a security deposit before entering the country from July 1, as a transition period under a new trade-monitoring system comes to an end, the Federal Tax Service (FTS) said.
The measure is part of Russia's Goods Delivery Expectation Confirmation System (SPOT), which authorities say is intended to increase transparency in trade within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.
Under the new rules, importers must notify Russian authorities of planned deliveries through the FTS information system or via telecommunications channels before goods cross the border.
The FTS said the transition period for importers from Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan will expire on June 30, making the security deposit mandatory from the following day. A separate transition period for imports from Belarus will remain in force until Nov. 1.
Russia's government introduced a one-month grace period for the payment requirement from June 1 to June 30 to allow businesses to adapt to the new procedures.
According to the FTS, importers must submit a Planned Delivery Document containing information about the cargo, vehicle and security deposit before goods enter Russia. The system then generates a QR code that customs officials will verify at border crossings.
Customs authorities will also compare the information contained in shipping documents with the details submitted through the SPOT system, the tax service said.
Initially, the system will apply only to goods transported into Russia by road from fellow EAEU member states. The government may later extend the requirement to other modes of transport.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
