Customs and International Trade

China Cuts Tax Incentive for Electric Vehicle Exporters: Starting from April 1, 2027, the VAT refund for the export of NEV will decrease from 13% to 9%. The decision of the Ministry of Finance and the State Tax Administration is aimed at curbing price competition and stimulating the industry's transition to technology and brand competition.

Rospotrebnadzor has suspended the import and turnover of products from a number of Georgian manufacturers in Russia. The restrictions include wine, cognac, beer, Nabeglavi mineral water and Georgian Coca-Cola. The reason is non—compliance with the mandatory requirements for organoleptic, physico-chemical parameters and safety. Importers of Georgian beverages should check the status of their shipments.

On October 1, 2026, the requirements for mandatory labeling of a new group of household and sanitary products came into force. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 656 dated 05/30/2026 affects importers directly: goods imported after this date must receive labeling codes before entering the market. The sale of unmarked balances is allowed until September 30, 2027.

Russia and Belarus are forming a system to support joint exports under the sign TSG — "Goods of the Union State". The status has already been assigned to 15 commodity items, including MAZ and BELAZ products. Starting in 2027, the mechanism will be open to any product groups. For exporters, this is a new positioning tool in the markets of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The Ministry of Finance has published official explanations on the practice of using the SPOT system, introduced by Federal Law No. 101-FZ dated 04/17/2026. The document covers the validity period of the QR code, the procedure for issuing additional payment for bulk shipments, the responsibility of marketplaces and a list of cases when a security payment is not made. The clarifications directly affect importers, carriers, and electronic trading platforms.

Starting from 2027, the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China introduces stricter requirements for export licenses for cars: manufacturers are required to document the availability of service infrastructure abroad. Supplies of small and medium—sized Chinese brands to Russia, as well as global brand cars manufactured in China, are under threat.

India has launched an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of insoluble sulfur from China. The Directorate of Commercial Protective Equipment (DGTR) registered the case on September 30, 2026, at the request of the only domestic manufacturer. 79 government programs to support Chinese exporters are under investigation. A new round of restrictions is opening up for participants in the trade of chemical raw materials with India.

At a meeting of the Public Council under the Federal Customs Service, business called regional discrepancies in customs decisions one of the main problems of foreign economic activity. The head of the service, Valery Pikalev, confirmed that work is already underway. In response, the FCS presented a set of measures — from a new analytical center to the EAIS TO 2.0 digital system and an expanded personal account of a foreign trade participant.

The Kraskino checkpoint on the border of Primorsky Krai with China has completed a large—scale reconstruction: the capacity has more than tripled to 750 vehicles per day, of which 650 seats are reserved for cargo traffic. For importers and exporters working with Chinese contractors through Primorye, this is a direct reduction in queues and border crossing time.