Russia may ban entry to European trucks

The ban on the entry of heavy vehicles from the EU into Russia may come into force on October 1, 2022.

The announcement came from sources familiar with the preparation of relevant documents, Interfax reports.

"All documents are under interdepartmental coordination. In general, the departments do not object to the introduction of retaliatory sanctions against European carriers. The Transport Ministry will submit the draft presidential decree and several other normative acts to the government by August 1," one of the sources said.

Another source said that the agriculture and industry and trade ministries are currently preparing lists of goods whose transportation will not be subject to restrictions.

The Transport Ministry did not comment on this information, while the Industry and Trade Ministry gave a response but not promptly.

The Association of International Road Carriers (ASMAP) also declined to comment, which had previously applied to the authorities with a request to impose restrictions on the entry of freight vehicles from the EU. The association's message dated July 1 notes that following a meeting with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, it was instructed to coordinate the draft decree of the Russian president and government decree by August 1, 2022, providing for the introduction of retaliatory measures against road carriers of the EU countries using the scheme of reloading/recoupling.

As reported, this scheme operates in Belarus and provides for the transfer and reloading of goods from vehicles of European carriers to trucks of Belarusian companies at border terminals.