The Common Customs Tariff of the Customs Union changes as of September 1, 2013
Rates were reduced for about 5 100 tariff articles, which is almost half of the Common Customs Tariff of the Customs Union. For each individual tariff article the rates decreased slightly - within the limits of 1-3 percentage points. For a few commodity items import duty rates were increased.
Reduction of rates affected mostly food products, including fish, exotic fruit, confectionery, raw materials for juice manufacture. In addition, rates for certain equipment units (washing machines, tractors) were reduced as well as for tropical oils, certain types of fabric and clothes.
For example import duty rates were reduced from 10% to 8-9% for certain food products of articles 0302, 0303 (fresh fish/refrigerated and frozen), 0304 (fish fillet). Rates were reduced from 20-25% to 18.3-22.5% for products of article 0402 (milk and cream with sweeteners), from 15% to 13.3% for products of article 0407 (poultry eggs). At the same time, for fats and oils made from milk, dairy paste (0405), a range of cheese and cottage cheese products (0406) the rate was increased from 15.0% (but at least 0.5 euro/kg) to 22.5 % (but at least 0.45 euro/kg), i.e. an ad valorem rate was increased to the obligation level while before September 1 it was lower.
For certain articles a combined rate was replaced with an ad valorem rate. For example, a rate for jersey fabric clothing items and other articles of clothing was 10.0% (but at least 3.0 euro/kg) and as of September 1, 2013 an ad valorem rate of 18.3% will be imposed on these goods.
A systematic reduction of customs duties would continue until 2018 as provided by transitional periods for various categories of goods.
N.P. Volovik, Head of the Foreign Trade Department