Russia delays new import deposits for EAEU goods

Russia has temporarily exempted importers from the Eurasian Economic Union from making guarantee payments under its new goods-tracking system, giving businesses in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus a short transition period as the rules take effect.

The measure, set out in a government decree dated May 29 and published Monday, applies to goods brought into Russia by road and is meant to ease the rollout of the national system for confirming the expected arrival of shipments, known by its Russian acronym SPOT. The system began operating on June 1, but importers from the four EAEU countries will not have to post the security deposit immediately.

For companies and entrepreneurs from Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the exemption will last through June 30. For Belarusian businesses, it will remain in place through Oct. 31. After those dates, importers will have to begin making the payments required under the new regime: July 1 for most EAEU shipments and Nov. 1 for goods arriving from Belarus.

Under the transition rules, importers must still notify Russia’s tax service in advance through an information system, providing details about the cargo and transport. They must also obtain a document with a QR code confirming the expected shipment and pass it to the carrier or driver, who will present it to customs officials.

The security payment is designed as a form of collateral. Once the recipient receives the goods and records them in accounting documents tied to indirect taxes, the obligation is reduced by the amount of the deposit already paid.

The SPOT system currently applies only to road transport. Other modes of transport are not expected to be added before 2027, according to the government.

The temporary exemption is intended to make the shift to the new system less disruptive for trade within the EAEU, where Russia’s imports include a range of consumer goods and beverages that move across borders by truck.