SCC denies allegations of commodity re-export from Belarus to Russia

MINSK, 26 September (BelTA) – The statements alleging the re-export of third- country goods from Belarus to the Russian Federation are not true, the press service of the State Customs Committee told BelTA.

“Such statements that have recently emerged in the Internet mislead and disaffect the public and create a negative opinion regarding the fulfillment by the customs services of their international commitments. They also serve to antagonize the customs administrations of the Customs Union member states,” the State Customs Committee underlined.

The statistics on the trade between Poland and Belarus was presented. In H1 2013, some 276 tonnes of dairy products were imported to Belarus, of which only 72 kg were exported to Russia. “At the same time over 10 tonnes of Polish dairy products were brought to Belarus from Russia, while over 71,000 tonnes of dairy products passed via the country in transit to Russia, up over 250 times compared to the amount of dairy products imported to Belarus from Poland,” the press service said.

All in all, in H1 2013 third-country goods estimated at $482.9 million were transported from Belarus to Russia; while third-country goods worth $633.6 million were brought from Russia to Belarus.

The State Customs Committee emphasized that the observation of bans and restrictions in commodity trade in the Customs Union and mutual trade between the Customs Union member states on the single customs territory is regulated by national legislations and legislations of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. “If the controlling body of the Customs Union member state imposes restrictions on the import of a certain category of goods into its territory, the mechanism to control its execution should be streamlined in this country and within the framework of the national legislation; this kind of control should not be exercised by the customs services of the other Customs Union member states,” the press service said.

The press service emphasized that the customs bodies working at the Customs Union external border strictly control the observance of bans and restrictions imposed by the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space.