Decree of the Russian Government 31.8. N 1124 1) introduces changes to the application procedure for a softwood quota license for Russian wood harvesting companies. Subsequently, the application for a reduced export duty quota must include the date and number of the timber trade notification to the monitoring system LesEGAIS. The purpose of the amendment is to improve the verification of wood origin and the transparency of timber trade.
Government Decree 7.9. N 1169 2) increases the reduced export duty twofold for tree species growing in the Far East.
Export quotas and tariff levels
Since 2013, 6.2 million cubic meters of softwood export quotas have been granted annually 3):
- for pine (Pinus sylvestris L) 16,04 mill. m³ of which EU 3,65 and other countries 12,39 mill. m³
- for spruce and silver fir (Picea abiest Karst., Abies Alba Mill.) 6,25 mill. m³ of which EU 5,96 and other countries 0,29 mill. m³
The quota duty is 15% for pine and 13% for spruce and silver fir, and 80% outside the quota (at least 55.2 €/m³)4).
For other pine species, the export duty is 25%, with a minimum of 15 €/m³ 4).
As of 2018, an export quota of four million cubic meters has been in place for Picea jezoensis, Abies nephrolepis and Larix dahurica growing mainly in the Far East 5). The quota duty is 6.5% (at least 4 €/m³) 6) and will increase to 13% in October 2019 2). The non-quota duty is 40%, with a minimum of € 27.6/m³ 4). The purpose of the reduced export duty is to promote the creation of new wood processing capacity in the Far East and to secure the raw material supply for the forest industry.
Sources: Minprirody Rossii, publication.pravo.gov.ru
- Postanovlenie Pravitelstva RF 31.8.2019 N 1124
- Postanovlenie Pravitelstva RF 7.9.2019 N 1169
- Postanovlenie Pravitelstva RF 30.7.2012 N 779
- Postanovlenie Pravitelstva RF 30.8.2013 N 754
- Postanovlenie Pravitelstva RF 12.12.2017 N 1520
- Postanovlenie Pravitelstva RF 12.12.2017 N 1521
Corrected 13.12.2019: quotas for pine and spruce/fir, division of quota for countries