Russia finance minister says economy whitening plan yields 34 bln rouble budget boost
In short
Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the government's plan to whiten the economy is producing results, and that the National System for Confirmation of Expectations of Goods Supply (SPOT) brought the budget about 34 billion roubles in additional receipts from imports over three months, Vedomosti reported. Siluanov said that sum is not the full volume, since other tax revenues also contribute, and that the measures aim to make the tax system fairer and more efficient. SPOT began operating on 1 June and requires importers to file an advance application with the tax service to receive a QR code checked by customs.
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Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the government's plan to whiten the economy is producing results, telling parliamentary hearings in the Federation Council that the National System for Confirmation of Expectations of Goods Supply (SPOT) brought the budget about 34 billion roubles in additional receipts from imports over three months of operation, Vedomosti reported. TASS and RIA Novosti reported his statement that the plan is producing results, without the figure. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Siluanov said the 34 billion roubles is not the full volume of additional receipts, noting that the effect is also formed by other tax revenues, so the final sum is higher. He said the whitening measures are carried out as part of work on the budget's revenue side and are aimed at raising the fairness and efficiency of the tax system. [ 3 ]
SPOT began operating on 1 June. Under the system, Russian importers must file an advance application with the Federal Tax Service to bring goods by road from EAEU countries, after which they receive a QR code that customs authorities check. The mechanism includes two main instruments: a document on the upcoming supply and a security payment. To ease the transition for importers, the government set a transition period for paying the security payment, postponing the deadline by one month. [ 3 ]
On 21 September, at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Federal Customs Service head Valery Pikalev said the introduction of SPOT had not led to difficulties in importing products into Russia, Vedomosti reported. Putin asked a follow-up question about the QR code system and queue problems, and Pikalev said no such cases had been recorded. [ 3 ]
Only Vedomosti reported the 34 billion rouble figure and the details of the system; the two official outlets carried the minister's statement that the whitening plan is producing results. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The statement gives the finance ministry's own account of how much the import verification system has added to budget revenue as the ministry works on the revenue side of the budget. The SPOT mechanism changes the procedure for importers bringing goods by road from EAEU countries, and officials say it has not caused delays. The documents give no figures for the economy as a whole, so the significance is limited to the budget and import procedure.
Key facts
- Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the government's plan to whiten the economy is producing results. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Siluanov said the National System for Confirmation of Expectations of Goods Supply (SPOT) brought about 34 billion roubles in additional budget receipts from imports over three months of operation. [ 3 ]
- Siluanov said 34 billion roubles is not the full volume of additional receipts, because the effect is also formed by other tax revenues, so the final sum is higher. [ 3 ]
- According to Siluanov, the measures are carried out as part of work on the budget's revenue side and aim to raise the fairness and efficiency of the tax system. [ 3 ]
- SPOT began operating on 1 June; importers must file an advance application with the Federal Tax Service to bring goods by road from EAEU countries and then receive a QR code checked by customs. [ 3 ]
- The mechanism has two main instruments, a document on the upcoming supply and a security payment, and the government set a transition period that postpones the security payment deadline by one month. [ 3 ]
- On 21 September, at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Federal Customs Service head Valery Pikalev said the introduction of SPOT had not led to difficulties in importing products into Russia and that no queue problems had been recorded. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The full volume of additional budget receipts generated by the whitening measures. Siluanov said the 34 billion roubles figure is not the full amount and that other tax revenues also contribute, but no total was given in the documents.
- The figure of about 34 billion roubles in additional receipts from imports over three months of SPOT operation. Reported only by Vedomosti; TASS and RIA Novosti carried the minister's statement that the plan is producing results without citing the figure or the mechanism.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the plan to whiten the economy is producing results. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti carries the same statement by Siluanov. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti reports Siluanov's figure of about 34 billion roubles in additional budget receipts from imports over three months of SPOT operation, and details of the system. [ 3 ]