Causes and consequences
Why documents conflict, when additional charges become a risk and which facts change the legal assessment.
The goods are in Vladivostok and the declaration is due. The invoice says FCA Shenzhen. The forwarder has billed the Russian buyer for collection from the supplier, the Chinese terminal, sea freight, container handling in Vladivostok and rail delivery to Moscow in one invoice. The customs representative asks…
The declaration is registered, but the goods are not released. Customs asks why payment differs from the invoice, what supports the discount and how transport costs were calculated. Only hours remain before the release deadline. The supplier is in another time zone and finance is exporting…
The goods have arrived but were not released as expected. A valuation request appears in the electronic declaration record: the contract is in US dollars, the invoice in euros, the buyer paid roubles to an agent and the seller received euros. The customs representative proposes increasing the value…
The goods are in temporary storage, costs are rising and the valuation check is unfinished. Where available, release against security may cost less than waiting for the final decision. Business correspondence sometimes calls this release against a valuation adjustment, although no adjustment…
The delivery is complete: the consignee has signed the CMR consignment note, the warehouse has confirmed receipt, the driver has moved to the next job and the carrier has been paid. Weeks or months later, customs reports that the goods never reached the prescribed destination and the customs transit procedure…
The customs document is dated the 7th. The electronic log records dispatch on the 8th. The customs representative forwards it on the 10th. The director opens the email on the 13th and asks: does time start on the 14th, or has the company already missed something?
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Customs may reject the transaction value and use another valuation method. This can bring additional charges, a security requirement, tied-up working capital and a dispute lasting months. I review the decision or request, deadline, payments and pricing evidence to determine what comes first: a response, administrative appeal, court application or refund claim.
For a post-release check under Article 332 of the EAEU Customs Code, establish how the three-year control period applies to the shipment. By then, documents may be spread across departments and the trade team focused on new imports. The first substantive response can affect the assessment of the evidence and any additional charges. I bring the records and legal position together before that response is sent.
The right to challenge customs decisions is set out in Article 358 of the EAEU Customs Code. The usual Russian deadline for an administrative appeal is three months; Article 198 of the Russian Commercial Procedure Code also provides a three-month court-filing period. Each has its own starting point. Time spent on an administrative customs appeal is excluded from the court period, including where the appeal is not examined on its merits; it does not restart a full three months. Missing a deadline can restrict remedies and complicate recovery. I coordinate the appeal, refund claim and any court proceedings.
Recycling fee and excise calculations can be disputed as rates change. Recycling fee coefficients follow the applicable government resolution; excise depends on the goods' classification and characteristics. A calculation error, disputed legal basis or missed relief can lead to costly litigation in a Russian commercial court. I work on defending calculations and recovering overpayments.
Editorial videos
Each video complements the articles by examining one disputed issue, regulatory change or court approach.
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▶Archive · Analysis
These articles examine situations that require documents, dates, payments and the parties' actions to be compared, rather than a general answer.
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In your first message, identify the document or event, the receipt date and the nearest deadline. That helps determine whether you need a response, appeal, supplier request or a separate Zoom review.
