Russian State Duma allows sale of goods in duty free stores to those flying from Russia to EEU countries

YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. In a bid to offset the consequences of an array of Western sanctions, the Russian State Duma passed a law that allows sale of duty-free goods to passengers flying to Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) countries from Russia.

"The law is aimed at ensuring the development of the Russian economy in conditions of external sanctions pressure," the Duma said in a statement on its website,Forbes.ru writes.

Since 2019, passengers flying from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (all members of the Eurasian Economic Union together with Russia) have been able to buy goods in duty-free stores, but a Russian law prohibited the sale of duty free goods to passengers departing from Russia to EEU member states.

Possibility of buying goods is an important element of a comfortable trip for a tourist, said the head of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia Maya Lomidze. According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, at the beginning of the year there were 240 duty free stores at Russian airports, as well as road, water and rail checkpoints.

Earlier, airport owners had asked the authorities to allow opening of duty free stores for passengers of domestic flights by the end of 2023, Vitaly Vantsev, the Chairman of the Board of Vnukovo Airport, told RBC. According to him, it will help them to increase revenue amid falling international traffic and passengers will be able to buy cheaper goods without customs duties.

Later, the Federal Customs Service said that opening of duty free stores for passengers who fly within Russia will lead to budget losses and unequal conditions of doing business.--0--