Suleimenov: EEU customs duties in for another review in a year
“The average rate of the common customs tariffs is declining due to Russia's participation in the WTO. Russia's obligations have become obligations of the entire union. The Russian commitments get implemented in the Eurasian single customs tariff. This happens once a year in September-October. This year it has already happened. So the next large-scale reduction will be in a year,” explained the Minister.
According to Timur Suleimenov, tariffs, customs and tariff policy are a living matter. They respond to the demand and supply, to prices, to the competition on the international market.
“The issue is very complicated. We need to be in a constant search for compromise, and not only between producers and consumers. We need to bear in mind all producers and consumers in the EEU and all related industries. It is not an easy task, but achievable. It has, in fact, become our daily work,” he noted.
The Minister also explained that the review of the customs duties is a standard procedure. It can be initiated by any EEU participating country. For example, Belarus prepares a proposal, sends it to the EEC, and then the Commission distributes this information to all other countries. All get together and decide whether to change the customs duty on a specific commodity. An application is considered within 3 to 4 months, as all member states need to be involved. When the matter is about some important issue, this issue is immediately brought to the level of Vice Premiers. They can give an instruction to do so within a month,” he said.