Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan To Sign Customs Treaty

by Tatiana Smolenskaya, Tax-News.com, Moscow

15 October 2009

Plans by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan to form a Customs Union look set to proceed following the announcement by First Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus, Igor Petrishenko, that a treaty on a customs code is expected to be signed by the leaders of the three countries on November 27, in Minsk.

The plans to form the Customs Union were agreed in June, when the three countries also sought joint accession to the World Trade Organization. Talks are currently underway in Geneva regarding their joining the organization.

Speaking at a session of the permanent commissions for customs regulation and border policy, which form part of the Eurasian Economic Community's Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, on Wednesday, Petrishenko said the treaty code will confirm common customs tariffs, as well as those commodities the import or export of which can be banned or restricted within the Union. He added that the signing will "transfer all sorts of control from the Russian-Belarusian border and to cancel the customs registration of commodities transported within the territories of Belarus and Russia."

The Custom Union's code is expected to come into force from July 1, 2010.

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