Russian Customs Begins Large-Scale Checks on Goods' Country of Origin

The Russian customs service has initiated large-scale checks on the country of origin of goods, including construction equipment, machinery, and tools. This was reported by Vedomosti, citing its sources. The information is also relayed by The Insider.

If a product is produced in the USA or its origin cannot be verified, the customs duty may range from 25-40%. Typically, the rates for the unified customs tariff fluctuate between 3% to 5%. These rates are regulated in accordance with Russia's government decree No. 788, which establishes duties for individual products made in the USA. This decree was adopted in 2018 in response to the tariffs imposed by the US on Russian steel (25%) and aluminum (10%).

According to the publication, the mass customs checks began in February 2024. Wilhelmina Shavshina, a partner at B1 company, associates this trend with the decision of the Eurasian Economic Commission's Council from January 26, 2024, which took effect on February 8. She emphasizes the importance of introducing the concept of 'countermeasures' in the document, which includes the goods outlined in decree No. 788.

Shavshina notes that importers are now required to provide certificates of origin for their goods. In the absence of such certificates or in case of incorrect information, as well as when indicating the USA as the country of production, Russian customs officers apply higher tariffs.

Some importers refuse to provide certificates, citing the lack of relevant requirements in national legislation, which complicates the verification of non-American origin of products.

In 2023, the Federal Customs Service transferred 6.6 trillion rubles to the budget, exceeding the plan by 158.6 billion rubles. According to the head of the Federal Customs Service, Ruslan Davydov, the projected volume of budget revenues for 2024 is expected to be 7.4 trillion rubles, which is 14% more than the previous year.