As of January 1, Armenia became a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. While our country’s economic sector officials assure that greater and wider opportunities will be opened for the entrepreneurs in the territory of this Union, there are still a number of questions left “dark” for them. Some of the questions raised by the entrepreneurs are, for instance, what customs duties will function for the cars imported from EaEU non-member countries after joining the EaEU, what mechanisms of indirect tax collection will function, whether our country’s accession to the EaEU will lead to reduction in price of imported gas, what changes are expected in the field of customs clearance and so on. The experts of this industry had answered some of the questions raised by the entrepreneurs in the website of the Ministry of Economy.
As for import of cars, the Ministry assures that a grace period is provided for the imported cars, which says that the customs fees for imported cars shall be levied by the current VAT and customs duties tariff. In response to the question raised by one of the entrepreneurs about what mechanisms will function for indirect tax collection, the experts of the Ministry first emphasize that even after joining the EaEU, the VAT will continue to be charged from the importers. And the only change will be that the VAT will be paid not with the customs authorities but the tax authorities until the 20th of the month following the day of import.
Pertaining to the gas price, the consumers were informed that the gas price will not drop as is was determined prior to entering into the EaEU, which is enshrined by the agreement. With regard to expected changes in the sphere of customs clearance, it is said that due to the absence of the border between EaEU and Armenia, the products imported to our country from other EaEU countries and exported to these countries shall pass a customs clearance in the EaEU member countries or in Armenia through the transit procedure, and in compliance with the customs transit procedure, the aforementioned products shall preserve the status of EaEU products.
Lusine BUDAGHYAN
