WRITTEN QUESTION E-2173/98

by Georg Jarzembowski (PPE) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Customs regulations in Russia

The Russian Federation has been seeking for some time to exclude specific groups of goods from the simplified import procedure governed by the International TIR Carnet Convention. Under Decrees 513 and 70 - at present withdrawn or deferred - imports of certain goods (chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa, television receivers, cars and other motor vehicles, furnishings and furniture components) cease to be governed by the TIR Carnet Convention and are subject instead to Russia's transit procedure. Application of the national transit procedure to these groups of goods would constitute a market barrier to foreigners as the procedure is particularly impractical for foreigners from the EU Member States.

Russian Instruction No 01-14/510 of 13 May 1998, which provisionally replaces Decree No 70, requires a large customs deposit or, alternatively, a customs escort at the carrier's expense. This customs escort has entailed extra costs of up to $US 2 000 per journey for foreign carriers.

Both Decree No 70 of 4 February 1998 and Instruction No 01-14/510 of 13 May 1998 are intended purely to make it far more difficult for foreign transport undertakings to import the aforementioned products, thereby protecting the domestic transport sector.

In the light of the above, will he Commission say:

1. what action it is taking to ensure that the Russian Federation abides by the TIR Carnet Convention and that exports of chocolate, television receivers, cars and furnishings to the Russian Federation continue to be subject to that convention?

2. what action it is taking to protect carriers from discriminatory and expensive customs escorts or deposits in the Russian Federation?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 1998)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's concern about the application of the TIR Convention within the Russian Federation.

The Russian state customs committee designed the various measures he mentions in an attempt to find effective means to counteract fraud, which it claims is occurring on a wide scale.

The Commission has maintained a continuous dialogue with representatives of the Russian Federation and has consistently argued that any new measures to be introduced must comply with the terms of the TIR Convention. In this way, the Commission has therefore contributed to the postponement or withdrawal of each of the envisaged measures, of which only Order No 01-14/510 of 13 May 1998 was actually introduced. It was withdrawn on 23 May 1998.

Under the terms of the Partnership and co-operation agreement between the Communities, their Member States and the Russian Federation, a sub-committee has been established, specifically to address customs issues. This met for the first time on 15 July 1998, and addressed among other issues, those relating to the TIR regime. The constructive dialogue within this forum has given additional impetus to several co-operation initiatives at an operational level, designed to counteract fraud whilst maintaining a maximum level of facilitation for legitimate trade.