Thursday, December 28 2023 19:02

ArmInfo. In 2024, it will be  possible to import 7,400 electric vehicles into Armenia with zero  customs duty. The decision to apply tariff benefits to electric  vehicles imported into the territory of the Republic of Armenia was  made on December 28 at a government meeting.  The rationale for the  decision states that during the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council,  an agreement was reached to extend the exemption for the import of  electric vehicles for another two years. In Armenia in 2024-2025, a  tariff quota will be established for 8,000 vehicles with an electric  motor during the year. The remaining 600 units of electric vehicles  are planned to be kept in reserve.

In November of this year it was reported that the Council of the  Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) extended duty-free import of  electric vehicles into all countries of the Eurasian Economic Union  (EAEU), except Russia, until the end of 2025. In March 2022, the EEC  Council established quotas for duty-free import of electric vehicles  for Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The quota for 2022  for Armenia was 7 thousand vehicles, and 8 thousand vehicles for 2023   (Armenia did not fully exhaust these quotas: about 2,680 electric  vehicles were imported in 2022, and almost 4,500 vehicles since the  beginning of 2023). As for Belarus - 10 thousand vehicles for 2022  and 15 thousand vehicles for 2023, Kazakhstan 10 thousand vehicles  for 2022 and 15 thousand vehicles for 2023,  Kyrgyzstan - 5 thousand  vehicles for 2022 and 10 thousand vehicles for 2023. The measure was  due to expire at the end of this year.

Vehicles imported under the quota can be resold only to citizens of  Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. "It is not permitted to  transfer the rights of ownership, use, and disposal of motor vehicles  with electric engines to persons who have citizenship of the Russian  Federation and (or) permanent residence in the Russian Federation,"  the EEC noted earlier in its decision.  Russia, represented by the  Ministry of Industry and Trade, has repeatedly opposed the  introduction of duty- free import of electric vehicles in hopes of  developing domestic production.  At a briefing following the meeting  of the EAEU Council, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk expressed  hope that after 2025, the benefit for the import of electric vehicles  into the EAEU will not have to be extended due to the development of  its own production.  Without the benefit, the import customs duty  rate for electric vehicles for the EAEU countries is 15% of the  customs value.