Decoding the status of international postal items. What are the IML statuses “Russian customs transit” and “Awaiting at the warehouse”

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The resignation of Andrei Belyaninov was prepared by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development, and the head of Rusnano Anatoly Chubais will make money from it.

“They probably want to put a mark on me, we won’t do this,” almost shouted the head of the Customs Service, Andrei Belyaninov, who was still in power.

His deputies unsuccessfully tried to convince the chief to meet the demands of the leadership of the Ministry of Finance. “So the Federal Tax Service has already agreed to completely create a database and keep records,” sighs one of his deputies.

Such a dialogue, according to Life’s sources, took place at one of the meetings of the now former head of customs. There was also talk about the mandatory equipping of almost all goods imported from abroad with special RFID tags.

This decision was made at the Eurasian Economic Commission back in 2014. Although customs formally took part in its development, in fact it delayed the process as much as possible, says Life’s interlocutor from the Ministry of Economic Development. As a result, the process of introducing these tags began only in 2016, “as an experiment” and not for all light industry, pharmaceuticals and alcohol, as originally planned, but only for fur products. And the task of introducing the new system had to be solved by a service that was formally unrelated to customs - the Federal Tax Service.

“This was the first signal for Belyaninov, but he did not understand it,” notes one of Life’s interlocutors, close to the leadership of the Federal Customs Service.

The resistance of customs was understandable: the introduction of tags made almost any smuggling meaningless, from which, apparently, the most senior employees of the service made money.

Magic marks

Photo: © Flickr/Christiaan Colen

RFID tags (Radio Frequency IDentification, radio frequency identification of goods) are special chips that are capable of storing data and transmitting it contactlessly using radio waves. This chip stores the entire chain of information about imported products - from the manufacturer to the final seller.

Accordingly, an inspection at a retail outlet or warehouse can determine the legality of the goods being sold. The Federal Tax Service has even created special programs for phones that will help determine legality not only for inspectors, but also for ordinary buyers. Although, of course, this is primarily important for auditors: the sale of illegal goods carries a fine of 300 thousand rubles. And the Criminal Code provides for six years in prison for refusal to mark. Thus, even if a merchant is able to import contraband, selling it will be problematic: regular stores will simply refuse to sell it.

“If the goods are not marked, then the circulation of such goods will be prohibited and thus the implementation of tax and customs legislation will be additionally ensured, and not only in the Russian Federation,” noted Deputy Minister of Finance Ilya Trunin.

Not for alcohol!

Although the new system was introduced exclusively in pilot mode (RFID tags will become mandatory only from October 1), some departments are already noting its effectiveness.

According to the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, with the market falling by 30% in monetary terms in 2015, the amount of customs duties paid decreased by only 7%, which is an indicator of the beginning of the whitening of the fur market. The ministry calculated that in 2015, when the discussion about introducing labeling of fur coats began, the overall growth in legally imported products was 12–15% compared to 2014.

According to Vladimir Maltsev, head of the monitoring and analysis department of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, at the end of June more than 570 thousand RFID tags were ordered, despite the fact that about 240 thousand fur products were legally imported in 2015. In total, according to the Association of Retail Trade Companies, previously about 84% of fur products were imported through smuggling.

“Despite the obvious success, the Federal Customs Service in every possible way refused to recognize the experiment as successful,” says Life’s source in the Ministry of Finance. - After all, from 2017 it is planned to extend it to pharmaceuticals and alcohol.

It is interesting that the investigative actions against Belyaninov (while he is involved in the case as a witness) are taking place as part of a criminal investigation into the illegal movement of alcoholic beverages across the border on a large scale and non-payment of mandatory customs duties. During searches, 9.5 million rubles, $390 thousand and €350 thousand were found at the head of the Federal Customs Service.

Bases in ecstasy



Another reform, carefully torpedoed by customs, is the merger of databases between tax authorities and customs. Similar to RFID tags, this should have led not only to the whitening of exports and imports, but also to an increase in budget revenue (and, therefore, a decrease in the income of some customs officers). The fact is that unscrupulous importers often underestimate the cost of goods even when crossing the border or clear deliveries through customs according to someone else’s type of product nomenclature, which leads to an underestimation of both customs duties and VAT. The new, unified system was supposed to track any fraud, starting from the moment the goods were imported into Russia. For Russian exporters, the unified system also promised benefits - simplified confirmation of the zero VAT rate.

Such a system was unprofitable only for customs - or rather for officials who could make money from smuggling and false exports. Moreover, there were rumors in the department that the unification of these systems was only the first stage towards the complete unification of two fiscal services into one. Customs were also not allowed to develop the supersystem; the Federal Tax Service also began to deal with it.

According to the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the systems of the Federal Tax Service and the Federal Customs Service should be merged this year.

“The Federal Customs Service has slowed down and is slowing down all processes, starting from the stage of agreeing on the concept, which we were supposed to submit to the government by May 1,” says Life’s source in the Ministry of Finance. - A working group has been created, there is an order from the president, but the Federal Customs Service actually does not take part in this, although it is they who, in theory, should be interested in its speedy launch.

Chubais' hand


Photo: © RIA Novosti/Alexey Filippov

However, according to Life’s interlocutors, the efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development would have been defeated by the opposition of the Federal Customs Service, if not for another player who would benefit from a speedy import reform. This player was the head of Rusnano Anatoly Chubais.

The fact is that Gosznak will supply new tags, but it itself will only be “responsible” for printing; the RFID tags themselves will be supplied to Goznak by Rusnano through its subsidiaries - RST-INVENT LLC and Mikron PJSC.

According to the government procurement website, Gosznak has already ordered from them through the “sole supplier” procedure (that is, without competition) more than 1 million tags for a total amount of more than 9 million rubles (an average of 8.2 rubles per chip).

“The purchasing price of chips in China when ordering a large batch is about 3-4 rubles per chip,” says the head of one of the commercial suppliers of RFID tags to Russia. - Accordingly, we can estimate the income of Rusnano. Of course, 1 million tags is still a fairly low turnover, which is understandable - for now they are mandatory only for fur products. Once other goods join the customs system, we will be talking about hundreds of millions and even billions of tags.

Life sources do not rule out that it was Chubais who became the main lobbyist for changes in the Federal Customs Service: after all, now it’s not only about whitening the market and budget revenues, but also the opportunity to somewhat improve Rusnano’s reporting,

Good afternoon

Many buyers of the Chinese GearBest store (and some others) have encountered the problem you described above. Parcels sent through IML (IML Express) since mid-November have been stuck at customs with the status " Russian customs - transit".

I contacted the Russian office of IML, but they were unable to comment on this situation. Russian IML receives parcels for delivery after they have cleared customs. Delivery to Russia and customs clearance of postal items is handled by another company. We have no information about what kind of company this is or how to contact it.

What to do with the statuses "Russian customs - transit" and "Awaiting at the warehouse"

Unfortunately, nothing can be done about it. All that remains is to wait. When more than 90 days have passed since the order, you can contact the online store where the purchase was made and demand a full refund. After which you can buy the product again in the same or another place, if such a need arises. It is useless to call IML and swear, they are not to blame for anything and cannot do anything.

Why did this happen

We don’t know for sure, but perhaps this is due to the introduction of new rules for processing parcels at customs in Russia. Now customs officers require the recipient’s TIN and a screenshot of the product page in the online store. However, neither online stores nor IML currently request such information.

If you have any new interesting information on the situation with IML parcels, please write about it in the comments!

Shopping in online stores

Parcel detained by customs

Commercial lot

The parcel was recognized as commercial cargo

Registration of IPO

For reference:

Goods for personal use received by international mail to one recipient within a month are not subject to customs duties if their total weight does not exceed 31 kilograms, and the total cost is 1000 euros. If the goods received by the MPO (parcel) are intended for commercial circulation, they are subject to customs duties, even when they have different cost and price characteristics. In most cases, the intended purpose of the product (for personal use, for commercial circulation) is not in doubt. If a citizen does not agree with the decision of a customs post official, he can appeal orally or in writing to the head of the customs post, to a higher customs authority, or choose a judicial appeal procedure.

The Federal Customs Service of Russia notes that international postal items (IPO) are increasingly used for sending commercial consignments of goods. At the same time, entrepreneurs using this delivery method often pass off the contents of parcels as goods for personal use in order to evade paying customs duties and taxes.

Commercial lot- This is a consignment of goods intended for further resale. Goods for personal use are not considered a commercial lot.

Goods for personal use- these are goods that are intended for personal, family, household and other, not related to business, needs of individuals, transported across the customs border in accompanied or unaccompanied luggage or in another way.

Whether a parcel is recognized as a commercial shipment depends on the quantity of goods, type and value. You may simply be asked a clarifying question that will remove all doubts, but they may also require more substantial evidence. Depends on the situation, the suspicion of the customs officer, the cost of the “violation,” the frequency of your appearance at customs, and many other factors.

What to do if your parcel is recognized as a commercial shipment? Don't panic in advance: it's possiblecustom scan, and you will receive your parcel without any problems. If customs has reasons for inviting you, prepare for the meeting in advance. You have the right to refuse the parcel. Please remember that you are not required to pay for return shipping, but you do lose the cost of shipping to the post office. You have the right to independently register your parcel in accordance with the rules. You have the right to contact a customs broker. However, the problem is that very few brokers are interested in processing your small cargo.

By planning your online order in advance, you can bypass quantity restrictions,ordering several goods to the addresses of different people(your friends or loved ones). Don't team up with others - you won't be able to save on shipping! The chances that the parcel will be recognized as commercial increase!

How to behave at customs? Think over your answers in advance, be sure that you are right, but don’t be impudent, behave decently and politely - this is half the success! Understand that a customs officer has dozens of people like you every day, and they all have stories about relatives who need 2 smartphones per person, as well as about a son and his football team who urgently need 40 pairs of sneakers. Please note, 50 bearings, 90 screws and other small-sized, but numerous things, will most likely be recognized as a commercial consignment, even if the weight and cost fit into the limit!!!

"Gift" or tablet for $100: if you underestimate the customs value (or the seller does it with the “best” intentions), the chances of the parcel being checked increase. The fictitious price of the product is subject to adjustment. It is important to have checks and receipts with you confirming the cost of the goods. Don't rely on the word "gift" on the invoice!!! "Gifts" are inspected first. The sender is obliged to evaluate the shipment, otherwise customs will do this for him. And not always in your favor! The gift will cost more!

So, it is important not to exceed the limit in amount (1000 euros), in weight (31 kg), in quantity (no more than 5 items of goods, no more than 1-2 expensive “current” goods), have receipts, account statements with you , printouts from the seller’s website with confirmation of cost, be polite and attentive. IMPORTANT: according to the Federal Customs Service, several criminal cases have recently been initiated under Article 30 and Article 291 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (attempted bribery to an official for committing obviously illegal actions).

Foreign economic activity is very profitable, but at the same time it requires care, accuracy, and actions approved by the Legislation of the Russian Federation. Otherwise, problems may arise that will completely eliminate the possibility of getting a good conversion. The worst moment is, of course, customs clearance. It is scary because it is fraught with a lot of unclear pitfalls, which seem almost impossible to cope with. But is the “devil” as scary as he is portrayed to be? Is it possible to deal with customs clearance on your own and work with peace of mind? It is possible, and this publication is intended to clarify all the unclear points in this matter.

Important nuance: This article is aimed at individual entrepreneurs or persons who have officially registered an LLC. Otherwise, it is not possible to import large quantities of goods into the territory of the Russian Federation without problems. It's simply illegal and you won't have all the tools available to you to do it. The Moneymaker Factory on the website offers a lot of product ideas that can be implemented without problems with customs clearance, when even a small batch can make good money. Please take this into account to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation of information.

The Moneymaker Factory on the website offers a lot of product ideas that can be implemented without problems with customs clearance, when even a small batch can make good money.

Please take this into account to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation of information.

Types of customs clearance

  • Self-filing of a declaration, which is what interests us most
  • Filing a declaration with the help of a representative, that is, a customs broker
  • Import of products/goods through a representative/broker contract

We will deal with the very first point and all aspects in as much detail as possible. If you understand the specifics, then further difficulties will not arise.

Types of customs clearance

As part of our narrative (master class), we need to talk about 2 main types of “customs clearance”:

  • On the border
  • Along the goods arrival bridge

The essence does not change: you will still have to fill out the same package of documents and pay duties, otherwise the goods will not be received.

The difference is that in the second case, another procedure should be used, which is called “Customs Transit”. It can be opened at any place where the goods cross the border, and closed at any place convenient for you on the territory of the Russian Federation. Issues related to the opening of transit are dealt with by the carrier (forwarder, in other words). This topic should be covered separately, but let us briefly note that these issues should be negotiated with the supplier, and he with representatives of the carrier.

As soon as the goods arrive at a place convenient for you, for example, in the city of St. Petersburg, you will have to master the role of the declarant, which we will talk about further.

First stage

First of all, you need to decide on the goods that you plan to trade in the future. This is fundamentally important, and why will be explained below.

There are some nuances in the design of, say, a batch of cell phones and a batch of printing presses.

However, it is important to understand the unified customs clearance algorithm.

Step 1. Product selection

We start by choosing a specific product. For example, let's take the Aliexpress hypermarket.

We chose a product - a watch with a creative design (link). Based on it, we will virtually go through all stages of customs clearance with you:

Step 2 - contact the seller

The next step is to contact the seller. Our priority at this time is to request an official technical description.

Most sellers on Aliexpress have all kinds of certificates, permits, and diplomas. Even if this is not the case, they can always draw up an OFFICIAL technical description on company letterhead (the presence of a blue seal is required).

Step 3 - making a request

The next step is to write the request itself. Write a letter to the seller within the online store (see Figure 2), and in it (in the letter) list the following information categories:

Attention: communication with the seller takes place exclusively in English, so you should prepare a request template. You can use our option:

Hello!
I want to buy from you the (…). It is important for me to receive your official document, technical description.
Please fill the following items. I also want you to do this on the official form and seal.
1. Trade name
2.Field of application
3.Purpose
4.Materials
5.Parameters
6. Other important information that you possess
Thank you, I am sure that we will have a pleasant cooperation

Preparation of documents

There are 2 options for goods crossing the border:

  • Together with you when you directly import them
  • Without you, when the seller sends you an order

The second option is more common, however, let’s make a reservation that the list of documents is the same, you just have to be demanding and insistent that your supplier prepares everything correctly. You may have to chat for a long time and ask to show the entire package of documents to you personally.

Do not neglect this point, since it depends on whether goods will be imported into the country, and, therefore, whether you will make your profit and whether you will not lose the money spent on the purchase.

What to ask from the seller (or from yourself if you are accompanying the goods):

    Firstly, the waybill, which will be valid for international transportation of the type you choose:

  • Secondly, be sure to request an invoice. It is also called an invoice or proforma invoice. Make sure that the seller specifies the following information on the paper:

    • Document serial number
    • Date of preparation
    • Postal addresses of both buyer and seller (physical, legal)
    • Bank accounts and details of both counterparties (seller-buyer)
    • Number and date of conclusion of the contract (foreign trade)
    • The presence of a description of the packaging, container, for example, container number
    • Article, brand, product model, best of all ETNVED code
    • Unit cost
    • Total quantity of goods
    • Total purchase cost
    • Full (if possible) information about the manufacturer, country

    Important tip: ask the seller to print the invoice on a color printer. It’s paradoxical, but true - this gives customs workers more confidence.

    Thirdly, the supplier is required to provide you with a packing slip (it also has a blue seal). In this sheet, he (the seller) indicates the following information:

    • Weight and gross (with/without packaging)
    • Number of product units
    • Number of cargo pieces
    • Again, description of the packaging
    • Information about the weight and cost of a particular packaging type

    Important advice: do not allow the seller to write the packing list only in a language known only to him (Chinese, that is). Insist on adding English (in case of a miracle - Russian) - it is international, and it will be understood at customs. Imagine the “joy” of the border guards who will have to decipher the hieroglyphs. Clearly no one will be in a hurry.
    It is best to ask that the document be sent to you by mail (electronic) and have it translated into Russian in advance, just in case.

    Fourthly, remember how much you are planning (or have already made) to purchase. If it (the amount) exceeds $50,000, then you are required to open a foreign trade transaction passport.

    Yes, today the fact of the presence of a transaction passport at customs is confirmed automatically, since information is sent directly to the customs authorities from the database of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, but it is better to play it safe.

    Fifthly, if you are transporting the goods yourself (yes, even if not, it doesn’t matter if you visit customs, fill out a declaration, present them), prepare the following papers:

    • Certificate of state registration with TIN
    • Certificate of tax registration with checkpoint
    • Statistical certificate indicating OKPO and SOAT (legal address required)
    • Certificate from the bank indicating accounts, both ruble and foreign currency

  • Sixth, make sure that, if necessary, you can appeal with documents such as:

    • Invoices issued for transportation, loading and unloading, warehouse services, etc. This may only be necessary if these costs are not included in the terms of delivery.
    • Insurance policy, also only when insurance was not included in the final contract amount. There is a general rule that prescribes the amount of independent insurance - 1.1 of the total cost of the goods.

  • Seventhly, Aliexpress rules require 100% advance payment for goods, and this is logical, especially since there is a buyer protection system in place. You must prepare documents confirming the fact of payment. They may be needed both during personal transportation of goods and customs clearance, and during a “joyful meeting”. If you paid with cards (Visa, Master Card), through PayPal, and so on, then you can get a statement from a bank account, since cards are usually linked to it, not taking into account virtual types.

    Some comrades take screenshots from the WebMoney and Qiwi systems, others make an extract with their own hands, and then certify it with the manager and chief accountant or with themselves, if he is one.

Permits for moving goods across the border

Here you need to “dance” depending on the type of product ordered. You can’t erase the words from the “song,” but since the Moneymaker Factory has undertaken to reveal the issue as fully as possible, we will list the permitting documents for moving goods across the border. In the case of our watches, there is 99% that they will not be needed - there is always 1% left when it comes to our customs.

In general, the list is as follows:

  • Declaration/certificate of safety/conformity. Typically required for products that directly interact with humans. A very vague concept, but that’s exactly what it is.
  • Veterinary certificate, which must be issued to goods that can infect animals
  • Phytosanitary certificate for those products that are dangerous to Mother Nature
  • Special permissions from government agencies. This topic is extensive and should be covered in a separate article. Of course, this does not apply to watches, but if you decide to bring nunchucks, then a suspicion may arise that you are planning to open a ninja cult, so you will have to ask permission from the great Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • A certificate of origin can be useful if there are benefits/quotas for imported products based on the country of origin.

A few words about brands

This must be agreed upon with the supplier in advance. It is clear that people crave fashionable and prestigious brands. Perhaps you even harbored a desire to order something like that.

Note: It has long been forbidden to indicate fashion brands on Aliexpress, and cunning sellers do their best to cover up all such logos on photographs with a black marker.

Warn the supplier so that these same inscriptions are not visible, especially on boxes (or other types of packaging). Representatives of copyright holders are not asleep and are waiting for similar consignments of goods at the borders.

You can check the names/marks/brands by downloading the register from here http://ved.customs.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109:2010-09-09-06-26-44&catid=13:2008-10 -16-13-51-15&Itemid=1814 ! Study product codes that are protected by intellectual property. Forewarned is forearmed.

Your right is to choose the so-called “parallel import”, but here again big problems can arise, because license fees for the opportunity to use a trademark are nothing more than part of the structure of the customs value of the goods.

What affects the customs value of goods?

This question worries all entrepreneurs who, at their own peril and risk, decide to independently go through the customs clearance procedure “from start to finish.”

Frankly, there is no clear definition, which can be very frustrating, but the fact remains. Customs officers cheerfully formulate the cost using documents such as:

  • Seller's price list
  • Additions to terms of sale
  • The bank control sheet can play a role if the goods have already been imported previously under a contract
  • A copy (translated) of the export declaration, or, alternatively, a letter explaining its non-submission
  • Seller's comments regarding price formation/formation
  • Concluded agreements with third parties
  • Documents from the accounting department on the registration of previously imported similar goods
  • Price information from the country's domestic market

Specifics of the first customs clearance

Yes, most of the difficulties are associated with collecting the package of documents. Moreover, many entrepreneurs refuse to make purchases on Aliexpress only because they are afraid that the seller will not be able to provide all the paperwork in full.

In fact, the seller is just as interested in the deal as you are, so in the vast majority of situations everything goes smoothly, taking into account the fact that large companies, of which there are many in the hypermarket, already have a wholesale shipping scheme.

You will also be provided with all kinds of information support.

If you are now on the threshold of your first customs clearance, we recommend that you also prepare an additional package of documents in advance:

  • Decisions on the establishment of a company
  • Charter/copy of the charter of the enterprise
  • Order with a seal on appointment to the position of accountant and director
  • Extract from the State Register
  • Certified copies of passports of the accountant and director
  • Certificate of ownership
  • Providing a certificate from the registration chamber
  • Balance sheet (assuming the last reporting period), tax stamp is required
  • Proof of payment of bills for the last several months of rent
  • Directly, the lease agreement for non-residential premises

Very often doubts arise: what if all this is not needed. There can be only one answer to such a remark, appealing to the fact - if something goes wrong, the goods are delayed at customs, and a fine “drips” for every day. Comments, as they say, are unnecessary. It is better to create a universal package of documents in advance.

All about customs payments

In addition to the “obstacles” in the form of rejection of documents collected with such care, people are even more afraid of the question: how much will they have to pay to customs for the import of goods. Of course, you want everything to be taken and given away for free, but in practice this does not happen; customs clearance issues turn into Hell, which seems to have no boundaries.

Why do you need to pay?

This is a rhetorical question, since full and timely payment upon import can be at least some guarantee that the goods will still be imported.

It is also worth taking a sober look at the priorities of Russian customs, which works to fill the federal budget.

Where and how to pay?

Most customs duties are calculated in euros, the most stable currency. However, payments must be made to customs in rubles, which is why in absolutely every customs declaration you will see a corresponding column, which is designed to describe the exchange rate. The latter may fluctuate, but the one that was valid on the day the declaration was registered will be considered valid.

The decision of the Customs Union Commission (http://www.tsouz.ru/KTS/KTS15/Pages/P_246.aspx) decided that each country independently determines the account to which all payments are received.

Therefore, YOU MUST FIND OUT 100% ACCURATE ACCOUNT DETAILS WHERE WILL YOU TRANSFER PAYMENTS?

Application *:

An example of calculating the cost of our product: a watch with a cartoon drawing (we assume that the seller indicates the real cost on delivery)

What we have: consignment of goods with a total cost of 85,471 rubles
Classic ad valorem rate: it is 10% of the cost of the goods, therefore 8,547.1 rubles
VAT, value added tax: it is 18% of the indicated cost, so we get: 15,384.78 rubles
The total cost of the ad valorem rate including VAT: 23,931.88 rubles

*Note: the actual cost may fluctuate in one direction or another, plus additional costs vary individually, depending on border controls. But that's the general picture.

Submit a customs declaration

From January 1 of this year, 2014, all declarations are filled out electronically. The procedure for filling it out can be carefully studied using the link, based on the decision of the Commission - there is nothing complicated there - http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_149157/.

When filling out the declaration, you must definitely use code classifiers. You can find out yours here - http://expertft.ru/klassifikatory/. That is, you determine the HS code, this will determine the customs value and the level of duty.

The customs declaration is drawn up in advance, after which you take all the documents that we wrote about at the very beginning of the publication and go to the customs officers. Rest assured, they are already waiting for you.

If the declaration is drawn up correctly, then stipulate the possibility of filing it.

Important advice: it is optimal to start all negotiations, especially for beginners, even before the goods complete customs transit, before they arrive at their destination, and even better - in advance, before the shipment crosses the customs border of the Russian Federation. This is necessary to get a head start to correct possible errors.

How to find out the HS code quickly?

In order to quickly familiarize yourself with your codes right now, you can use a convenient service online: http://www.tks.ru/db/tnved/goods. Just select the products that suit you from the list, a list of keywords (or one word, for example, like ours, watches) and receive codes:

There on this page (after you decide on the code), you will see a small icon with a percentage, namely, the value of the import duty:

conclusions

Summarizing all the information presented above, we can draw the following conclusions:

  • You can go through the customs clearance process yourself
  • You should pay extremely close attention to collecting a complete package of documents
  • It is important to clearly discuss with the supplier the list of papers that he must prepare and constantly monitor the process

If we imagine all the stages in the form of a simple diagram, we will see the following picture:

The Moneymaker Factory is ready to listen to any questions on the described topic in the comments and give detailed answers, since it is difficult to take into account all the nuances within the framework of one article, due to the fact that each product has different import specifics.

The resignation of Andrei Belyaninov was prepared by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development, and the head of Rusnano, Anatoly Chubais, will make money from it.

They probably want to put a mark on me, we won’t do this! - the head of the Customs Service, Andrei Belyaninov, who was still in force, almost shouted.

His deputies unsuccessfully tried to convince the chief to meet the demands of the leadership of the Ministry of Finance.

So the Federal Tax Service has already agreed to completely create a database and keep records,” sighs one of his deputies.

Such a dialogue, according to Life’s sources, took place at one of the meetings of the now former head of customs. There was also talk about the mandatory equipping of almost all goods imported from abroad with special RFID tags.

This decision was made at the Eurasian Economic Commission back in 2014. Although customs formally took part in its development, in fact it delayed the process as much as possible, says Life’s interlocutor from the Ministry of Economic Development. As a result, the process of introducing these tags began only in 2016, “as an experiment,” and not for all light industry, pharmaceuticals and alcohol, as originally planned, but only for fur products. And the task of introducing the new system had to be solved by a service that was formally unrelated to customs - the Federal Tax Service.

“This was the first signal for Belyaninov, but he did not understand it,” notes one of Life’s interlocutors, close to the leadership of the Federal Customs Service.

The resistance of customs was understandable: the introduction of tags made almost any smuggling meaningless, from which, apparently, the most senior employees of the service made money.

Magic marks

RFID tags (Radio Frequency IDentification, radio frequency identification of goods) are special chips that are capable of storing data and transmitting it contactlessly using radio waves. This chip stores the entire chain of information about imported products - from the manufacturer to the final seller.

Accordingly, an inspection at a retail outlet or warehouse can determine the legality of the goods being sold. The Federal Tax Service has even created special programs for phones that will help determine legality not only for inspectors, but also for ordinary buyers. Although, of course, this is primarily important for auditors: the sale of illegal goods carries a fine of 300 thousand rubles. And the Criminal Code provides for six years in prison for refusal to mark. Thus, even if a merchant is able to import contraband, selling it will be problematic: regular stores will simply refuse to sell it.

“If the goods are not marked, then the circulation of such goods will be prohibited, and thus the implementation of tax and customs legislation will be additionally ensured, and not only in the Russian Federation,” noted Deputy Minister of Finance Ilya Trunin.

Not for alcohol!

Although the new system was introduced exclusively in pilot mode (RFID tags will become mandatory only from October 1), some departments are already noting its effectiveness.

According to the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, with the market falling by 30% in monetary terms in 2015, the amount of customs duties paid decreased by only 7%, which is an indicator of the beginning of the whitening of the fur market. The ministry calculated that in 2015, when the discussion about introducing labeling of fur coats began, the overall growth of legally imported products was 12-15% compared to 2014.

According to Vladimir Maltsev, head of the monitoring and analysis department of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, at the end of June more than 570 thousand RFID tags were ordered, despite the fact that about 240 thousand fur products were legally imported in 2015. In total, according to the Association of Retail Trade Companies, previously about 84% of fur products were imported through smuggling.

“Despite the obvious success, the Federal Customs Service in every possible way refused to recognize the experiment as successful,” says Life’s source in the Ministry of Finance. - After all, from 2017 it is planned to extend it to pharmaceuticals and alcohol.

It is interesting that the investigative actions against Belyaninov (while he is involved in the case as a witness) are taking place as part of a criminal investigation into the illegal movement of alcoholic beverages across the border on a large scale and non-payment of mandatory customs duties. During searches, 9.5 million rubles, $390 thousand and €350 thousand were found at the head of the Federal Customs Service.

Bases in ecstasy

Another reform, carefully torpedoed by customs, is the merger of databases between tax authorities and customs. Similar to RFID tags, this should not only lead to whitewashing of exports and imports, but also an increase in budget income (and therefore, a decrease in the income of some customs officers). The fact is that unscrupulous importers often underestimate the cost of goods even when crossing the border or clear deliveries through customs according to someone else’s type of product nomenclature, which leads to an underestimation of both customs duties and VAT. The new, unified system was supposed to track any fraud, starting from the moment the goods were imported into Russia. For Russian exporters, the unified system also promised benefits - simplified confirmation of the zero VAT rate.

Such a system was unprofitable only for customs - or rather for officials who could make money from smuggling and false exports. Moreover, there were rumors in the department that the unification of these systems was only the first stage towards the complete unification of two fiscal services into one. Customs were also not allowed to develop the supersystem; the Federal Tax Service began to deal with it.

According to the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the systems of the Federal Tax Service and the Federal Customs Service should be merged this year.

“The Federal Customs Service has slowed down and is slowing down all processes, starting from the stage of agreeing on the concept, which we were supposed to submit to the government by May 1,” says Life’s source in the Ministry of Finance. - A working group has been created, there is an order from the president, but the Federal Customs Service actually does not take part in this, although in theory it should be interested in its speedy launch.

Chubais' hand

However, according to Life’s interlocutors, the efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development would have been defeated by the opposition of the Federal Customs Service, if not for another player who would benefit from a speedy import reform. This player was the head of Rusnano, Anatoly Chubais.

The fact is that Goznak will supply new tags, but it will be “responsible” only for printing, and the RFID tags themselves will be supplied to Goznak by Rusnano through its subsidiaries - RST-Invent LLC and Mikron PJSC.

According to the government procurement website, Goznak has already ordered from them through the “sole supplier” procedure (that is, without competition) more than 1 million tags for a total amount of more than 9 million rubles (an average of 8.2 rubles per chip).

“The purchasing price of chips in China when ordering a large batch is about 3-4 rubles per chip,” says the head of one of the commercial suppliers of RFID tags to Russia. - Accordingly, we can estimate the income of Rusnano. Of course, 1 million tags is still a fairly low turnover, which is understandable: they are now mandatory only for fur products. Once other goods join the customs system, we will be talking about hundreds of millions and even billions of tags.

Life sources do not rule out that it was Chubais who became the main lobbyist for changes in the Federal Customs Service: after all, now it’s not only about whitening the market and budget revenues, but also the opportunity to somewhat improve Rusnano’s reporting,

Whether Chubais had a hand in the resignation of the head of the Federal Customs Service or the leadership of the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Economic Development is not important. In any case, Belyaninov’s departure would not have happened if the Kremlin had begun to protect and defend him, despite the corruption schemes that were revealed. But the state made it clear: those officials built into the vertical who do not work for the benefit of the budget, but only line their pockets, have no place in the system, notes one of the senior government officials.

It is clear that the state is seriously concerned about filling the budget. And during the crisis, the weak link manifested itself most clearly. Thus, if in 2015 the Federal Customs Service collected 31% less into the federal budget than in 2014, the Federal Tax Service, on the contrary, increased its collections by 11%. Moreover, last year the Federal Customs Service was unable to fulfill its targets: instead of the planned 5.7 trillion rubles, it brought only 4.9 trillion to the budget. Such results, and even against the backdrop of active resistance to transparent administrative tools, make it clear to the entire state apparatus: neither past merits nor experience in the intelligence services will justify their own ineffectiveness.