Shopping tax can be imposed without Customs Union's consent

The matter is that exit duties can be imposed independently by each member of the Customs Union (CU).

Lukashenka said last week that exit duties had to be imposed on those who go abroad for shopping. “We provide services on the border for you. Pay 100 dollars each and go abroad,” the proposed.

Belarus doesn't have exit duties now. But if a Belarusian citizen has too many goods, he must clear them through customs. If you import a fridge weighting over 35kg or clothes costing more than 1,500 euros from Europe, you must pay a customs charge. The norms are the same for the three members of the Customs Union – Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. Many experts began to calm down public: Belarus cannot impose exit duties without consent of other CU members.

However, the Eurasian Economic Commission, the regulatory body of the Customs Union, says Belarus can set exit duties independently.

“Exit duties are in the competence of the national state. It means that if Belarus wants to impose them, it can do it without approval of the Customs Union, because it lies within Belarus's jurisdiction,” the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission told Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi newspaper.

The State Customs Committee declines to comment on possible imposing duties on those going abroad for shopping.