The Ministry of Transportation of Russia came up with a proposal of charge fees for crossing the state border by cars and cargo trains, PRIME reports quoting Kommersant Daily and the source, familiar with ministry’s proposal.
The Ministry considers that charging fees for state border crossing can be by analogy with Platon system and with use of elements of the latter. The edition notes that collected funds will be directed to arrangement of customs checkpoints. The preliminary assessment of these expenses is RUB 250 bln.
As the transporters told the edition, this fee will increase cost of their services and may affect the price increase of import goods. Nevertheless, they are ready to bear “reasonable load” if it reduces border passage time.
«The ministry suggests charging fees from motor transport depending on its category (from passenger to cargo vehicles), and from rail transport – for 1 ton of cargo. The Ministry of Transportation did not suggest anything on time for realization of this idea and the amount of fees», the edition reports quoting the interlocutor.
The other source reported that the state border crossing fees may be introduced in the second half of 2017.
“It appears probable that there will be several operators or the fees will be charged only on new alternative customs checkpoints, built with attraction of private investments, while the old ones will operate in the same mode”, «Ъ» adds.