Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 7/28/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** RS6311

RS6311

**Russian Federation**

**Wine**

**Stamp Numbers No Longer Needed**

**2006**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Allan Mustard

American Embassy, Moscow

**Prepared by:**

Yelena Vassilieva and Tyler Wiltgen

**Report Highlights:**

Resolution 452 of July 22, 2006 stipulates that traders no longer have
to provide excise stamp numbers on the form that accompanies a customs
declaration; rather they must give notice that their products are marked
with excise stamps. The replacement of numbers with notification of
excise stamp marking will help to facilitate excisable product trade.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Moscow ATO \[RS4\]

\[RS\]

# Summary {#summary-1}

In July, retail trade in wine and spirits was nearly halted in Russia
due to a shortage of new excise stamps and the inability of traders to
get the equipment necessary for application of these excise stamps. In
addition, importers faced malfunctions in software designed to monitor
product movement between producers/importers and consumers based on the
excise stamps. These problems were forecast in GAIN Report RS5316 *New
Alcohol Law Likely to Disrupt Wine and Spirits Imports in January*, GAIN
Report RS5322 *New Spirits Law Amended*, GAIN Report RS6305 *Russian
Wine and Spirits Imports Halted Temporarily*, and GAIN Report RS6309
*Imported Wine and Spirits Removed from Store Shelves.* In order to
implement the new alcohol law, the Russian Government issued several
resolutions, including Resolution 872 on December 31, 2005, entitled "On
Documentation Attached to the Cargo Customs Declaration", which
envisaged that importers would complete a form containing all
importer/trader data and excise stamp numbers. Supervision of this
process was delegated to the Federal Service for Consumer Rights
Protection and Human Well-being (Rospotrebnadzor). Absence of this form
may have been the reason for the withdrawal of wine from the market.

Resolution 452 of July 22, 2006, stipulates that traders no longer have
to provide excise stamp numbers on the form, but rather they must simply
give notice that their products are marked with excise stamps. The
replacement of numbers with simple notification of excise stamp marking
will facilitate excisable product trade. The amendment also shows that
government intentions of creating a national product movement control
system failed, even while using the most modern technologies. An
unofficial translation of Resolution 452 follows below.

In addition to this new resolution, it is expected that the government
will issue further instructions to importers based on difficulties
surrounding the registration computer system. Importers cannot
effectively use the Uniform State Computerized Information System
(EGAIS), because they import many different brands and varieties of
wine, and it takes weeks to input their information into EGAIS.
*Izvestiya* newspaper claims acting Prime Minister Medvedev will sign a
document stipulating that the EGAIS system begin a "trial
implementation," during which importers must only notify the system of
imported products and do not have to wait for the system\'s registration
confirmation. *Izvestiya* comments that it will make no difference
whether the system actually \"sees\" the commodity or not, rendering the
system useless for its prescribed function---monitoring the movement of
each bottle.

# Resolution of the Russian Federation Government #452 (Unofficial translation)

Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation "On Amending GOR
Resolution 872 dated December 31, 2005".

Number 452, July 22, 2006

The Government of the Russian Federation decrees:

To approve the attached amendments to GOR Resolution 872 dated December
31, 2005, "On Documentation Attached to the Cargo Customs Declaration"
(Code of Laws of the Russian Federation, 2006, #4, Art. 323).

Chairman of the Government\
of the Russian Federation M. Fradkov

Amendments to Resolution 872 of the Government of the Russian Federation
dated December 31, 2005, "On Documentation Attached to the Cargo Customs
Declaration"

1\. In Item 3 of the form attached to the cargo customs declaration,
which was approved by the said resolution: replace the words "excise
stamps" with the words "notification of the presence of excise stamps
marking the commodity", replace the words "serial number and numbers of
excise stamps" with the words "commodity has been marked with excise
stamps,"

2\. In subparagraph "c" of paragraph 5 of "Rules for Filing of the Form
Attached to the Cargo Customs Declaration," which were approved by the
said resolution: replace the words "excise stamps" with the words
"notification of the presence of excise stamps marking the commodity";
replace the words "to specify the serial number and numbers of excise
stamps marking the commodity" with the words "for confirmation of
marking of commodities with excise stamps" and the words "commodity has
been marked with excise stamps" shall be written down.