Russian government revised rules for softwood export tariff quotas

The Government of Russia has introduced fundamental changes in the rules for allocation of tariff quotas on the exports of unprocessed timber of spruce, fir and pine trees outside Russia and the participants of Customs Union. These rules were approved by a Russian Government decree as of July 30, 2012 #779, said Forestry Forum of Greenpeace Russia. The change is to take effect one month after the official publication of the decision.

License for exports under tariff quotas (which gives an opportunity to export unprocessed softwoods with reduced export duties) was previously provided to the tenants of forest areas who had no debts on rent payments, or persons affiliated with these tenants via contracts on wood delivery within the permitted logging volumes.

The new decree completely abolishes the rule. From now on, softwood export license can be issued to anyone, regardless of whether he has the right to harvest wood in Russia, or whether he bought this wood from someone who has such a right, and whether or not rental payments for harvested forest areas were paid out.

The revision of the rules may be connected with the fact that on 5 June 2013, the Supreme arbitration court declared the Clause 5 of the Decree #779 not complying with the law “On customs regulation in the Russian Federation”.

The full text of a new resolution is available at the portal “Everything about Customs”.