Belarus Tightens Procedure for Natural Persons to Import Goods

17.09.2010 13:39
Архив Редакция

State Customs Committee of Belarus developed guidelines on the definition of purpose and value of goods transported by natural persons. This document is tightening regulations operated within the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan for import customs duty tax-free goods.

According to the recommendations of the SCC, it is allowed to import duty-free for a month as goods for personal use up to three items of a different kinds of durable goods (outer clothing, spare parts for vehicles, etc.), as well as not more than three items of construction materials within a month. In this case, according to traditional use, the durables goods are the goods, which lifespan is more than a year, as well as washing powder, fabric softener, cleaning (washing) facilities in packages weighing more than three kilograms.

It is allowed to import for personal use one item of the following household product categories for one calendar year: kitchen gas or electric stoves, cooker hoods, kitchen machines, microwave ovens, ovens, baths, shower cubicles, lavatory basins, wash basins, bidets, toilet sinks, spillage tanks, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashing machines, washing machines, sewing machines, domestic water heaters, color image LCD screen computer monitors, portable PCs (laptops), copying equipment, satellite TV equipment, air conditioning, baby carriages (each kind depending on the child’s age), outboard engines, except those which were imported after paying the aggregate customs payment.

These criteria do not apply to movable goods with obvious signs of use (no packaging, labels, tags, signs of wear, etc.), including second-hand goods (clothing), in which an individual is dressed depending on the season and weather conditions.

In this case, according to the SCC, the recommendations could apply to second-hand clothes, if the quantity and nature of goods are indicative of possible not personal use (for sale).

Decision on destination of goods to be taken by customs officers

According to the document, customs officials (customs inspector, shift boss, the Chief (Deputy) customs office customs, deputy head of customs, Head of Customs) receive the right to decide, whether an individual imports the goods for own use or resale.

SCC recommends the customs officers to make a decision about the destination of imported goods on the basis of the following factors: family structure, usually need a man in a specified kind of goods, place of work or lack of it, the place of residence (citizen of the member states of Customs Union, the alien, townsman, village dweller etc.), proximity of residence to the border, the circumstances of travel (purpose and frequency), the circumstances of previous visits; range of transported goods; the existence of documents confirming the legality of purchase at retail; the frequency of importing of identical products by different individuals, other factors identified during the survey of the person.

SCC also advises Customs officers to pay attention to the range of goods imported by individuals into one car. If there are in a vehicle (except for buses over 12 seats and rail cars) three or more identical items of durable goods imported by different individuals the goods can be recognized as a commercial party, even if they meet the number and rate of movement of citizens established in these guidelines criteria.

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