Belarusian Ministry of Justice applied to the CIS Economic Court with a demand of temporary prohibition of Russia's levying duties on petroleum products. "Levying duties by the Russian side on oil supplied to the Republic of Belarus contradicts a number of international legal documents", noted in Belarusian Ministry of Justice.
As a measure of security nature Belarus suggested the CIS Court «to prohibit the Russian Federation to levy export duties on petroleum products imported from the Russian Federation to the Republic of Belarus, before a final decision of the Court on this issue».
«The duty on petroleum products imported from the Russian Federation to the Republic of Belarus has never been levied in the history of mutual trade between Belarus and Russia… Russia’s levying of export customs duties on petroleum products results substantial economic losses for enterprises not only in the Republic of Belarus but in the Russian Federation», reads the petition of Justice Ministry.
«The court’s decision on temporary prohibition of charging duty on petroleum products, imported from the Russian Federation to the Republic of Belarus, before the Court makes a final decision would preserve the cooperative links between enterprises, increase products’ competitiveness of Russia and Belarus’ enterprises on the world market», summed up in Justice Ministry of Belarus.
According to the Belarusian side, levying of taxes on oil by Russia violates the following international legal documents: the agreement between the government of Belarus and the Russian government on free trade on November 13, 1992, agreement on the Customs Union between Belarus and Russia on January 6, 1995, protocol on the introduction of free trade regime without exceptions and limitations between Belarus and Russia on January 6, 1995, agreement on Customs Union and Common economic space on February 26, 1999, treaty on establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community on October 10, 2000 and treaty on establishment of Common customs territory and formation of the Customs Union on October 6, 2007.
Among the enterprises affected by the introduction of Russian duties, Belarus Ministry of Justice mentioned:
Mogilevkhimvolokno;
Khimvolokno, Svetlogorsk;
Grodno Khimvolokno;
Naftan, Novopolotsk;
Tver Polyester;
Komitex, Syktyvkar;
Steklonit, Ufa;
Kompamid Engineering Plastics, Moscow;
Nizhnekamskneftekhim;
PolimerStroy, Smolensk;
SIBUR Holding, St. Petersburg;
Titan, Omsk;
and many others (more than 70 enterprises).
