Kazakhstan: Officials Comment on Reported Delays at Russian Border

The State Revenue Committee of Kazakhstan addressed the issue following reports by Russian media about prolonged inspections and delays, Orda.kz reports.

In its response, the committee cited national legislation and acknowledged infrastructure-related challenges at several border crossings.

Kadyr Ismagulov, Director of the Audit Department at the State Revenue Committee, clarified in a response to Orda.kz that the free movement of goods within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is permitted without customs control.

However, because EAEU member states have not yet adopted unified regulations for export oversight, each country applies its national laws to regulate the movement of certain goods, especially those classified as sensitive, such as military-related items.

The committee indicated that these controls are, in part, connected to Kazakhstan’s obligations under international sanctions.

The movement of specific goods across the border with the EAEU countries is carried out on the basis of permits issued by the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to paragraph 1 of Article 29 of the EAEU Treaty, member states have the right to apply restrictions in mutual trade in goods if such restrictions are necessary, including to fulfill international obligations, said Ismagulov.

He emphasized that this applies specifically to goods that fall under prohibitions or restrictions.

Additionally, a 2015 protocol prohibits the re-export of goods cleared through customs at preferential World Trade Organization (WTO) rates — another factor contributing to truck inspections.

For the specified categories of goods, at the border with the EAEU countries, carriers are additionally required to provide the relevant permits confirming the legality of movement across the border. For other categories of goods, state revenue agencies check the information in the accompanying documents, which takes about three to five minutes and does not create difficulties for crossing the border,  he explained.

The committee also addressed concerns regarding potential issues with the CarGoRuqsat electronic booking system. Officials stated that the system is currently operating at 29 of 30 checkpoints and allows for scheduled crossings, which is intended to minimize delays.

According to the committee, reservation data can't be lost.

Still, infrastructure gaps on the Kazakh-Russian border continue to impact traffic flow.

Ismagulov cited one example:

For example, at the Jaisan checkpoint (Aqtobe region), there are four lanes in each direction, while on the Russian side at the Sagarchin checkpoint, there is one lane, which significantly slows down the border crossing process. Other related factors also affect the throughput, such as road repairs at checkpoints and in nearby areas, adverse weather conditions, and seasonal changes in traffic flows. 

The State Revenue Committee affirmed that all checkpoints on the border with Russia are functioning as per usual. Russian media had previously reported that routine inspections, which typically took around ten minutes, have been extended to several hours or even days. 

Original Author: Nikita Drobny