November 5 2002, 16:08

Russia: commission recommends extra duty on imports of sugar syrup

Governmental commission for protective measures in foreign trade, customs and tariff policies has recommended introducing temporary special duty for imports of sugar syrup to Russian Federation, which will be in effect during 180 days and will constitute 45 percent of customs value but no less than EUR 0.2 per kilogramme of dry matter, a spokesman for Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Kudrin, who presides the commission, has told reporters.

The spokesman said introduction of special duty was stipulated in draft government resolution about temporary measures of protecting Russia's beet sugar complex. The draft resolution had been prepared and approved by the commission. He said the commission's decision had been urged by sharply increased imports of sugar syrup to Russian Federation within the past year. During March-August of 2002 such imports rose 15 times as compared to the same period last year. The commission noted that import of sugar syrup was a means to sneak over customs barriers, used to regulate imports of raw sugar to Russian Federation.