Director of NSS Signs New Order

The Director of the National Security Service, Armen Abazyan, signed a new order on February 15 regarding the lists of information on prohibited printed, audiovisual, and other carriers. The order, which has been in effect since 2015, has been supplemented with a new section V.

“V. On the importation into the customs territory of the Republic of Armenia from third countries of prohibited printed, audiovisual, and other carriers containing information, on the export from the customs territory of the Republic of Armenia, on the transit through the customs territory of the Republic of Armenia,” the new order states.

It also details the process for obtaining a permit document, which includes a number of requirements from the applicant to the NSS Director:

1. A request for the issuance of a permit document regarding the importation of prohibited printed, audiovisual, and other information carriers into the customs territory of the Republic of Armenia (in Armenian or Russian),
2. Copies of the foreign trade contract and any annexes or amendments (if available),
3. Commercial invoices or other accompanying documents for the cargo,
4. A copy of the receipt for state duty payment or a notification generated by the electronic payment system indicating the 20-digit code of the generated receipt,
5. Samples of the information on printed, audiovisual, and other carriers as per the NSS request.

The permit document is to be issued to the applicant within two working days after the submission of the required samples and documents to the NSS.

The issuance of the permit document may be denied under several conditions:

• If the documents listed in point 17 are not submitted by the applicant,
• If the documents provided by the applicant contain incomplete or unverified information,
• If the applicant fails to present samples of the printed, audiovisual, and other carriers for NSS examination,
• If there are examination results indicating a potential threat to the national security of EAEU member states from the import, export, or transit transportation of the printed, audiovisual, and other carriers.

This new order will come into effect on March 4.