Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree launching a pilot program that lets companies importing goods into Russia defer paying the value-added tax collected by customs authorities. The program runs until June 30, 2027.
Under the decree, importers will be able to postpone VAT payments by up to 3 months, interest-free.
Companies may participate if they meet 3 conditions, the Russian business outlet RBC wrote: they must appear in the registry of authorized economic operators and/or on the list of systemically important organizations in the Russian economy; they must operate under the general taxation system and pay domestic VAT; and they must sell the deferred-tax imports either to individuals who are not registered as sole proprietors or to companies also operating under the general taxation system.
The deferral applies only to VAT paid to customs authorities and covers only goods imported from countries outside the Eurasian Economic Union. Goods imported from within the Eurasian Economic Union are subject to VAT paid directly to the tax authority, not to customs.
Under current rules, companies importing goods for domestic sale must pay the full VAT amount in advance — before filing a customs declaration — meaning an importer must hold enough funds in its account to cover the tax before clearing goods through customs.
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