ArmInfo. The State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia proposes to tighten the rules for duty-free import of goods for personal use into the country on foot, establishing more stringent standards than those determined by the Eurasian Economic Commission. "Not only small businesses, but all of us will be subject to restrictions," Eduard Badalyan, an expert at the human rights organization "Citizen-Taxpayer-Business", said in an interview with ArmInfo.
Thus, in the draft law posted on the single portal of legal acts e-draft.am, the tax office of Armenia first reminds us that according to the Customs Code of the EAEU, cost, weight and (or) quantitative norms for the import into the customs territory of the Union of goods for personal use without payment customs duties and taxes are determined by the Eurasian Economic Commission depending on the methods of importing such goods for personal use into the customs territory of the Union.
"In accordance with the Decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission dated December 20, 2017 No. 107 <On certain issues related to goods for personal use> from April 1, 2024, the following norms for the import of goods for personal use without paying customs duties and taxes (with the exception of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic beverages with an alcohol concentration of more than 0.5 vol.%) imported in accompanied and (or) unaccompanied baggage by means of transport other than air, or on foot - 500 euros and 25 kilograms," the draft says.
Meanwhile, the Armenian tax authorities "having assessed" the situation, decided that within the framework of these norms "there are opportunities for abuse in relation to personal goods imported on foot." "As a result of regular border crossings by the same individual through land checkpoints, goods for personal use worth up to 500 euros and weighing up to 25 kg are imported into the territory of the Republic of Armenia, but in reality these goods appear on the domestic market for sale in various forms, which undermines the competitive field and creates shadow traffic," note the authors of the initiative.
Taking into account these concerns, and taking advantage of the right granted by the same EAEU Labor Code to establish more stringent duty-free import standards than those determined by the Commission, the RA State Revenue Committee proposes more stringent cost, weight and (or) quantitative standards for personal goods imported on foot order in the Republic of Armenia, the quantitative threshold is 10 kg, and the cost threshold is 200 euros, in dram equivalent.
Meanwhile, expert of the human rights organization "Citizen-Taxpayer-Business" Eduard Badalyan notes that, logically, people "of concern" to the State Revenue Committee are engaged in economic activities regulated by various legislative acts. This, in turn, means that the Committee has the tools to control this process. "Is there any reason to take tougher measures that affect everyone - me, you? That is, if, for example, we decide to buy something in Georgia, for personal use, and not for business purposes, in particular, some branded sunglasses, then we will simply not be allowed to cross the border with these glasses without paying taxes," the expert noted.
