Russian customs brokers expect sharp decline in demand for “Belarusian scheme” for importing goods to Russia - mass media

<p> MINSK, Aug 26 - PrimePress. After Belarus cancels the zero value added tax (VAT) for the goods imported into the country for re-export, the number of Russian entrepreneurs using the “Belarusian corridor” will be at least halved. This forecast was made by market players interviewed by RBC Group (Russia’s RosBiznesConsulting media holding). </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, Presidential Ordinance #315 of 19 August 2021 “On withdrawal of VAT exemption” for goods imported to Belarus by authorized economic operators on condition of their subsequent re-export by the mentioned persons. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “Russian companies could import goods through Belarus by engaging local customs operators, such as Beltamozhservice, which allowed them to pay VAT not at the moment of importation, but later (according to the Russian law, not later than the 20th day of the month in which the company took the goods for the record). Thanks to this, traders were able to postpone the moment when they would have to withdraw money from the turnover to pay tax,” said President of KVT Service customs representative Yulia Shlenskaya. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In her words, various consumer goods, flowers and equipment were imported into Russia through Belarus. “So far, clearance at the border of Belarus has been popular among Russian legal entities, but now the scheme will be impossible,” she said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Alexey Chernyshev, Director of Commerce at AKFA Group logistics operator, said that the customs authorities of Belarus “did not check the customs value as thoroughly, which allowed paying multiple times less duties than it should have been”. According to him, the main “beneficiaries” of this scheme were suppliers of consumer goods all over Russia. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Director General at Universal Cargo Solutions (engaged in international transport of goods, customs clearance, etc.) Sergey Martyanov predicts that after August 31, the number of Russian companies that imported goods through Belarus will fall by 50-70%. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “It was a grey scheme, which allowed companies to save on customs payments, import goods in a shadow way: they could not put them on the balance sheet, etc. Abolition of this VAT exemption will level the playing field for all market players,” Martyanov said. According to him, this scheme allowed a discount of up to 70% on an invoice (a document containing a list of goods, their quantity and price set by the seller to the buyer – editor’s note), which, in turn, reduced the cost of imported products, and it is not clear whether this discount will remain after August 31. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Shlenskaya noted that the cancellation of the “Belarusian scheme” should benefit the official intermediary companies that help import goods into Russia. According to Chernyshev, all Russian importers working in the legal field will benefit from the move by Minsk to abolish the VAT exemption, as price competition with bad-faith participants should be reduced. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Martyanov expects that Belarusian international carriers will suffer to some extent from the cancellation of the scheme, whereas Russian carriers should benefit from the fact that since September they will get the cargo flow, which was previously tackled by their Belarusian counterparts. However, he doubts that the abandonment of the “Belarusian scheme” will lead to an increase in consumer prices in Russia. “Although those who imported goods in this way received higher margins and could afford dumping in the market under these conditions, there is unlikely to be a noticeable increase in prices after the abolition of the VAT exemption, because all companies are competing for the buyer," Martyanov explained. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Representatives of the Federal Tax Service (FTS) and the Federal Customs Service (FCS) did not answer RBC questions. </p> <p>   </p> <p> It follows from the statistics on the website of the Federal Customs Service that total imports from the Eurasian Economic Union (includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan) in January-June 2021 was $111.08 billion, but it is not specified how much of it came from imports from third countries through the territory of Belarus. Trade turnover between Russia and Belarus in January-June totalled $17.462bn, according to the Federal Customs Service, of which imports to Russia from Belarus accounted for $7.174bn. End </p>

2021-08-27

Primepress