Russian Сustoms Not Releasing International Cargo Bound for Kazakhstan

Yesterday, Majilis deputy Yerzhan Beisenbayev spoke about the unjustified actions of Russian customs authorities, Orda.kz reports.

He says Russian customs officers are holding cargo arriving in Kazakhstan from European countries, subjecting them to several checks and significant delays.

Kazakhstani carriers have claimed similar measures are being applied to transit cargo from China heading to EU countries through the territory of Kazakhstan and Russia.

Transport is idle, and cargo is subject to multiple checks. As a result, small and medium businesses suffer significant losses due to forced downtime, additional costs for checks, payment for the stay and meals of drivers, missed delivery times and the imposition of fines, Yerzhan Beisenbayev said.

Customs officials cite regulations temporarily restricting the export of certain goods from Russia.

However, as Beisenbayev emphasized, these same regulations provide exceptions for international transit shipments that begin and end outside Russia.

The actions of Russian customs authorities that impede the transit of goods from third countries contradict the policy and regulations of the Russian government. This has a negative impact on Kazakhstani importers and exporters. Also, given the mutual membership of Kazakhstan and Russia in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the current situation contradicts the essence and norms of this association, the deputy said.

The deputy demands that the interests of domestic business be protected and that this issue be resolved with Russian colleagues.

Original Author: Zhadra Zhulmukhametova