Soyers

Who and whom uses within the framework of the freshly baked customs union

Sovereign democracy cracked in the most unexpected place. It was not done by agents of "orange" influence, but by the first persons of the state. After all, on their initiative in December last year, the Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan was created ....

Sovereign democracy cracked in the most unexpected place. It was not done by agents of "orange" influence, but by the first persons of the state. After all, on their initiative in December last year, the Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan was created. From July 1, when the Customs Code starts, our country will no longer be able to unilaterally establish prohibitions on the import of specific goods into its territory. And this means, for example, that Borjomi and Kinzmarauli can return to the Russian market, which have become our products from non-grata before the war, and now from a political point of view, equivalent to bacteriological weapons.

This circumstance, directly arising from the documents signed by the presidents and prime ministers of the three countries, became a revelation for Vladimir Putin. Last week, he said that the Customs Union cannot be the reason for the penetration of “problematic” goods into the domestic market, and promised to agree with partners.

That's why it is to agree. In general, Kazakhstan doesn’t care, but Lukashenko got into his own hands not even a trump card, but a Joker. Recall: Belarus insists that the most important point of allied legislation should be duty -free energy trading. It was the duties for oil that caused the trade war between the allies in the beginning of this year. And now Lukashenko has every reason to put Putin before an insoluble issue: duties or Borjomi?

This is a special case that clearly demonstrates how dangerous it is to share at least part of its sovereignty. Of course, subject to the condition if you use it for politically motivated protectionism.

However, from an economic point of view, the Borzhomsky question does not matter much. The situation with used foreign cars is much more interesting (see “New”, No. 8 for 2010). Recall that in Russia there are prohibitive duties for the import of used foreign cars, and in Belarus, the customs clearance costs almost cheaper. So, starting in January, Belarusians beat all records for the purchases of Bauschy cars, hoping that from July 1 they will be able to import them into Russia without any duties. However, local authorities are already vaguely hinting that they can deprive their citizens of such pleasure, temporarily refusing to remove customs barriers with Russia. And it seems to me that the question of energy carriers will not be bypassed here. And how you can bypass it, if the domestic auto industry, which has already returned by the level of production in the 70s, may not withstand the blow under the breath from an ally.

In the aviation industry, our situation is not so critical - just different. The release of new aircraft is measured in pieces per year and in no way correlated with the needs of airlines, which often fly on rarities. Largely because we have bargaining measures for the import of new aircraft: 20% of the duty plus 18% VAT. The air transportation sector, meanwhile, is pretty thinned by the crisis, and those who survived, feel financially oh how badly. It is illogical to protect domestic production, which, as it were, at the cost of destroying an independent and life -supporting industry. Refusing to support the domestic manufacturer is not comme il faut. But if you have to do this in the framework of the fulfillment of allied obligations, then it is possible. And, apparently, they will do it. And technically. Nobody will cancel the fee, they just won’t charge it, this way is five years old. Until our sky is filled with "superjacked" ...

You cannot ignore another project that did not become national only because Putin chose the successor to not Ivanov. Ivanov, as you know, lobbying GLONASS. And he had a haste to the point that he proposed to introduce prohibitive duties for the import into the country of GPS receivers. But, in trouble, this issue now needs to be coordinated with Belarusians and Kazakhs, who are not yet ready to lose orientation in space to satisfy someone's ambitions.

The list of privateities could be extended if the entry into force of the Customs Code and the further development of the project to create the Union of the same name were not a systemic problem. This problem is that the harmonization of customs legislation is far from completion, many documents are framed in nature and are full of references to by -laws, not yet adopted. This is fraught with the periodic occurrence of bureaucratic chaos at customs. As this happened in January, when large batches of mobile phones, laptops, navigators and other equipment, which operates using encryption code, hung on the border. Encryption, clear, a matter of state importance, requiring a solution at the level of specialized special services. Only here the profile FSB no one informed that she made a gift in the form of the opportunity to issue permits to import electronics.

In this case, they figured out quickly, but how many such misunderstandings can arise in the course of the process, so far no one is seriously aware. Likewise, no one so far has to fully understand what was the highest plan of the creation of the Customs Union from the point of view of Russia.

If this is an attempt to join the WTO with an original format, as stated, then it would be better if we entered the WTO on our own. The organization has clear, for years debugged procedures, which would exclude today's mess.

If we assume that this is a relapse of imperial policy aimed at exporting the norms of the sovereign economy outside, then there is a complete failure. On the contrary, the Union rudely tramples our sovereign right to show Kuzkin Mother to anyone and anywhere.

If this is an attempt to search for a new, pragmatic format of working with the allies, then until she was successful. Allies defend their interests with much greater pragmatism.

So it remains to consider the union at an innovative angle today - as a venture project. That is, a bold and potentially profitable idea that is realized at their own peril and risk.