The cost of a seal in the EAEU is not a "single fixed price for a device." The tracking service is paid for, and the total amount is collected from the stages along the route. In the logic of the EAEU, this is similar to the "segment fee": who started, who passed through, who completed.
How the price is formed
On the Russian operator's side, three basic services are explicitly allocated under the EAEU agreement:
- The start of transportation and tracking (if the route starts in the Russian Federation) — 13,855 rubles (including VAT).
- Passage through the territory of the Russian Federation (if the Russian Federation is a transit country) — 7,805 rubles (including VAT).
- Completion of tracking (if the route ends in Russia) — 10,845 rubles (including VAT).
Next, the principle of "how many countries — so many charges" is included: tariffs of national operators of those EAEU states are added to the Russian segment, through whose territory tracking begins, transit takes place and where it ends. This is specified separately on the CPI website in the tariff notes.
Why does the range often sound in dollars?
The market is discussing the cost in USD, because the participants in the chain (forwarders, carriers, cargo owners) compare sealing with opportunity costs: downtime, inspections, additional guarantees, risks of "gray" transit. Industry comments capture the same logic of the three components (activation/start, transit, completion), and the result is a function of the route and the number of countries.
Hence the typical examples: on the "two—page" arm (for example, RB → RF, upon arrival of cargo from a third country), two actions are usually paid - start and completion, and when a third country is added, another paid transit segment appears. Important: the exact amount depends on the tariffs of each operator and the currency of payment at the start of the route.
Who pays and how it works in practice
Payment at the Central Bank is made in advance and in rubles, while the operator lists the available payment methods (including bank transfer, SBP, etc.).
But the "payer" in the chain can be anyone — sender, recipient, forwarder, carrier — this is already a question of the commercial model and who has a stronger negotiating position.
What importers/carriers should pay attention to right now:
- Put the seal in the rate calculation as a separate line, especially on routes with 2-3 EAEU countries.
- Specify in the contract who pays for the seal and who is billed, so as not to get a dispute at the border.
- Check the “country architecture” of the route: sometimes a small change in leverage (another crossing/another transit scheme) changes the set of national tariffs.
- Plan the operating system: sealing is the point of application / removal, the time for procedures and the risk of queues in the first weeks of the launch of the obligation.
Bottom line: EAEU navigation seals are not just a "new requirement", but a new regular cost element of cross—border logistics. The sooner the chain participants agree on who pays and how the costs are distributed, the fewer surprises there will be at the time of registration and border crossing.
