Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the extension of the import period for goods from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan without the need for labeling and certificates of origin within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union for two weeks. The previous decree expired on December 10, and the new deadline is December 25.
The simplified import applies to goods transported by road across the border between Russia and Kazakhstan and is implemented under certain conditions. In particular, the recipient of the goods must be a Russian legal entity, and the carrier is required to notify the customs authorities of the Russian Federation about the need to declare the cargo.
Additionally, the goods must be delivered to a temporary storage warehouse, where they should be labeled and declared by December 27.
The simplified border crossing procedure was introduced by Moscow authorities at the end of October in response to serious logistical problems that arose at the border with Kazakhstan. These difficulties led to a significant slowdown in cargo transportation from China to Russia.
Traffic jams at the Kazakhstan-Russia border began to accumulate in mid-September. At various stages, between 2,500 and 15,000 trucks were stuck in the jams, which sparked heated discussions among market participants, who described the situation as unprecedented. Meanwhile, the customs authorities of both countries attempted to shift the responsibility for the situation onto each other.
Representatives of the Federal Customs Service of Russia pointed to unscrupulous businessmen as the main cause of the delays. According to them, truck drivers planning to cross the border with violations intentionally slowed down the process, waiting for instructions from cargo owners.
On the other hand, the Kazakh side attributed the difficulties to increased control by Russia.
