Government Takes Steps to Reduce Border Congestions

The government has initiated legislative changes aimed at reducing congestion at the land border crossing points of the Republic of Armenia. The proposal was presented by Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee, Hamlet Sahakyan, who noted that the changes are related to improving the tax and fee collection process.

According to Sahakyan, it is proposed to postpone the payments for environmental tax, road tax, and state dues, setting them to be payable by the 15th working day after crossing the Armenian border, but no later than the exit from the territory of Armenia. This, as per the justification provided, will reduce the congestion of goods at the border.

The draft intends to eliminate the 5,000 dram state fee payable at the border and to increase it slightly during the goods declaration phase. Specifically, for cargoes up to 3 tons: 5,000 → 7,000 drams, for 3–10 tons: 10,000 → 13,000 drams, for 10–25 tons: 15,000 → 18,000 drams, for 25–60 tons: 20,000 → 24,000 drams, and for cargo over 60 tons: 30,000 → 35,000 drams. According to the report, the changes do not impose an additional burden on the business operators; in some cases, they may even alleviate it.

Additionally, it is proposed to establish uniform rates for environmental taxes on vehicles not registered in Armenia, noting that in cases of exceeding emissions norms, other legal regulations apply. Sahakyan stated that measuring emissions at the border is unrealistic.

The proposal also includes an exemption from road tax for cargo vehicles whose exit from the territory of Armenia is not possible due to road impassability. The draft law was discussed in the Economic Affairs Standing Committee meeting of the National Assembly on November 5. The committee provided a positive conclusion and recommended including it in the agenda of the upcoming National Assembly sessions.