As of January 1, 2022, the Government of the Russian Federation will impose duties on exporting roughly processed sawn timber

The Government of the Russian Federation will limit the export of roughly processed moist sawn timber more than 10 cm thick as of January 1, 2022, Viktor Evtukhov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, told RBC. This is usually the way roundwood export from the country is masked. The Government is planning to establish a safeguard export customs duty on it – the Ministry of Industry and Trade advocates the amount of at least 80% (its size, according to Mr. Evtukhov, is not yet determined and is currently being discussed with the relevant ministries).

“This in fact continues the implementation of the President’s instruction to ban roundwood export. The Government will now also prevent the possibility of exporting roundwood “quasi-legally”. Whereas producers of actual moist sawn timber will not suffer,” the Deputy Minister assured.

There are plans to differentiate the customs codes of thick, i.e. over 10 cm, and thin moist timber at the level of the Eurasian economic community to impose this duty starting from 2022.