Russia imposes 100% duty on oil products too. Belneftekhim: no comments

The content of teletypogram of the Russian Federal Customs Service leaked to the media.

Russian imposed 100% customs duty on oil products supplied to Belarus. In accordance with Russian government’s regulation #1091 dated December 25, 2009, all oil products will be shipped to Belarus only if 100% of the Russian customs duty is paid.

“Export customs duties, established by the regulation #1091, issued by the Government of Russia on 25.12.2009, shall be imposed on crude oil and certain categories of refined products supplied from Russia to Belarus from January 1, 2010,” the teletypogram of the Federal Customs Service of Russia says, AFN news agency informs.

The regulation #1091 of the Russian government provoked a number of questions of Russian exporters and Belarusian importers. Belarusian importers think Russia shouldn’t impose 100% customs duties on oil products delivered to Belarus. The Russian Federal Customs Service is guided by the teletypogram and refuse draw up documents on export of oil products to Belarus unless export duties are paid.

In accordance with the document, Russia sets seizes of export duties on the oil delivered to Belarus. Belarus in turn applies the rates established in the document when exporting products of Belarusian refineries.

Russian refined oil was supplied duty-free earlier. As Russian vice premier Igor Sechin said on December 18, Belarus imported above 3 million tonnes of oil from Russia in 2009 (according to the Belarusian Ministry of Statistics, import of oil products from Russia amounted to 2.981 million tonnes over 10 months in 2009).

However, as spokesperson for Belneftekhim concern Maryna Kastsyuchenka told BelaPAN, the Belarusian refineries continue to receive oil from Russia and new contracts with Russian oil companies are being worked out.

We remind that the Belarusian refineries receive Russian oil in accordance with previously signed contracts since the beginning of 2010. According to different sources, the stockpiled crude will be enough until the middle or the end of January. Representatives of Belneftekhim said earlier work on signing new contracts would start after Christmas holidays in Russia.

Belneftekhim spokesperson refused to comment on media reports on the order of the Russian Federal Customs Service to impose 100% of the export duties on oil and refined oil deliveries to Belarus.