"Absolutely achievable figures": Deputy Head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia Ivin - on the growth of exports and the impact of the pandemic on foreign trade

- How much has the volume of Russian exports increased since the beginning of 2021?

Will we be able to reach pre-crisis levels?

- Already now, in terms of exports, we have reached the level of $ 331 billion, we expect about $ 430 billion for the year.This is more than in 2019, then it was $ 424 billion, but so far it does not reach the indicators of 2018, when the volume of supplies reached $ 450 billion.

We believe that these are absolutely achievable figures.

All international trends associated with the recovery of the economies of the countries of the world, and with the growth in the cost of goods of almost all groups will give us the opportunity to increase exports in terms of value.

- In 2020, the share of fuel and energy products in the total volume of Russian exports dropped to almost 50%, while the supply of non-primary goods grew at a record.

How can the ratio change at the end of the current year?

- Last year, in connection with the events known to us, was characterized by the fact that the cost of oil and derivatives that depend on it dropped dramatically.

At present, the situation with prices has stabilized, and Vladimir Putin did not rule out that oil prices could reach $ 100 per barrel.

• Vladimir Ivin - on the export of energy resources

Taking into account the fact that energy carriers make up a significant share of our exports, the share of non-resource non-energy exports (NOE) this year will not exceed 50%, although, of course, we would very much like to see this.

At the same time, export growth is recorded for many products of the non-resource non-energy group, both in terms of price and structural.

The efforts and measures that the government is undertaking to stimulate the NOE, the work of the federal executive authorities, including the FCS, the activities of the REC are bearing fruit.

We record both an increase in the supply of traditional non-primary goods and the emergence of new types of export products.

- What products are basic and what are new for our non-resource exports?

- The main ones, first of all, are products made of metals, both ferrous and non-ferrous.

They show an increase of about 1.7 times.

Export of engineering products increased by 38%.

The government is also stimulating the export of processed timber, which has resulted in its export up 35% this year.

However, we are most actively supplying food abroad.

This is largely due to the fact that China began to massively purchase those types of products that were previously not admitted to its market.

This is a group of meat products, as well as various grains and legumes.

As for interesting products, we now have an export of wigs and wooden souvenirs.

Also, oddly enough, supplies of textile and footwear products to other countries began, although usually imports predominated in this segment.

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- Are there any changes in the top of our largest trading partners against the backdrop of the pandemic?

- There are no fundamental changes.

Since 2010, China has been our main trading partner.

Taking into account the launch in 2019 of new pipelines through which oil is exported, and the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, the volume of this trade is only growing.

Accordingly, China confidently holds the first place.

Next come Germany and the Netherlands, which are also our traditional partners in the fuel and energy export segment.

Countries such as Belarus, Italy, Turkey and the United States also retain their presence in the top ten.

- Starting from 2020, a number of problems have been observed in world trade, including cargo delays in seaports, a shortage of containers and container ships, and other similar obstacles.

Do participants in foreign economic activity face such problems at the Russian borders?

- Yes, indeed, there are these problems.

We understand that the issue in this regard acquires special sensitivity and social significance.

• Vladimir Ivin - on the difficulties in the transportation of goods

To avoid delays, we, for our part, do not create any obstacles to the movement of goods.

On the contrary, we orient our employees to maximize the acceleration of our technologies upon the arrival of goods, including when passing through checkpoints, so as not to create traffic jams and queues there.

In a number of ports, there was a sharp lack of capacity.

Since it is the closest thing to deliver containers from China, of course, to the Far East, the interest of carriers in the delivery of goods to our Far Eastern ports has sharply increased.

And the capacities there are finite, it is difficult to increase them very quickly.

Indeed, there are times when even the unloading of the ship has to wait a week.

After the goods are unloaded, the lion's share of declarations is filed within five days.

We release an average of about 15 hours, roughly speaking, in one day the goods go through customs.

However, despite the fact that the cargo is released and cleared by customs, it can be stored in the port for up to 15 days.

That is, the goods occupy a place where a new container could be placed for unloading.

I know that port owners are now actively involved in this, looking for opportunities to increase container turnover.

For our part, we are technically ready for this.

- Earlier, you have repeatedly spoken about the high automation of customs procedures.

How is work being done to improve customs administration now?

Currently, 80% of submitted returns are registered automatically.

26%, that is, virtually every fourth declaration, is automatically issued.

The machine accepts and issues such a document in electronic form, and none of the customs officers sees it.

As for the further development of digitalization, we are working to increase the number of automatically issued declarations.

This will allow the limited resources of customs officers to be directed precisely to those goods that require real verification.

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In terms of digitalization, we have also significantly increased the degree of electronic communication with banks on payment issues.

This is a very sensitive moment.

We need to make sure that the payments are actually received in full to the dedicated accounts, so that this transaction is not a factor delaying the dispatch.

Both with the Treasury and with the Central Bank, we are actively working to transfer all operations to digital.

- On September 10, in Minsk, the Union State Council of Ministers adopted 28 programs to deepen the integration of Russia and Belarus.

What has changed for the FCS with the signing of these road maps?

Indeed, this was a very important event, I would even say, fundamentally important.

Approximately 40% of goods imported from the western direction go through the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

Understanding the structure of this flow, its transparency, and its risklessness for the Russian market are key from the point of view of the work of the customs authorities of the Russian Federation.

Colleagues from Belarus understand these concerns, in this regard, we have found mutual understanding and readiness to prepare and approve these union programs.

• Vladimir Ivin - on relations with Belarus within the framework of the Union State

The main directions that will now be developing are the creation of joint structures.

They will administer a number of customs control issues not only in their own country, but already within the framework of our common space of the Union State.

It is planned to create a special analytical center jointly between the Russian and Belarusian customs services, where a joint analysis of trade flows both between our countries and from other states will be carried out.

This will allow us to provide information content of our risk management systems, our databases in a mode close to online.

We will be able to see in advance and in full the goods that are sent to us or move between us.

I am sure that these decisions will certainly lead to an increase in our mutual trade, the development of cooperation ties between our countries, between our business.