Russia Considers Equating Export Duties on Gasoline and Diluents
13.09.2012 / 17:49
Moscow wants to cut off easy money flow from shadow gasoline export.
Russia will submit for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s consideration the decision to equate export duties on thinners and solvents and gasoline, Interfax says.
The decision was approved by many Russian legal bodies. Now Russia wants to equate the duty on thinners and solvents made from Russian oil and exported from the Customs Union countries.
Today, if Belarus exports gasoline, it is obliged to pay the duty of 90 per cent of the oil export duty. If thinners and solvents are exported, Belarus is obliged to pay nothing.
Moscow supposes that Belarus exported gasoline made from Russian oil under the guise of thinners and solvents as they may be exported duty-free. The total losses of Russian economy inflicted by such grey export schemes are estimated up to $2bln.
Russia also considers limiting oil shipments to Belarus within the approved energy balance of two countries.
The investigation began when Russian ambassador Surikov accused Belarus of grey export of Russian oil under the guise of diluents to avoid paying duty.
In July, Russian halted shipments of naphtha — the main raw material for diluents production — to Belarus.
After this step, the foreign trade balance of the Republic of Belarus has made only $23.2mln in July what shows drastic decrease by circa 18.5 times compared to the same indicator in June. The figures presented by National Statistic Committee are considered to be the proof of the oil fraud.
Read more about grey oil export from Belarus on NN.BY.