02 MAR 98
FM AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 1998. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF
THE UNITED STATES
SUMMARY
1. ON FEBRUARY 6, 1998, PCO STEFFENS, REGIONAL
INVESTMENT ADVISOR MICHAEL ALLEN, AND YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK
STAFFER MARIANNE DRAIN MET WITH ANATOLIY USENKO, HEAD
OF YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK CUSTOMS. THIS CABLE, FIRST IN A
SERIES ON RFE CUSTOMS AND SHIPPING, SUMMARIZES RECENT
DEVELOPMENTS IN CUSTOMS ISSUES ON SAKHALIN ISLAND. END
SUMMARY.
CUSTOMS BROKERS
2. USENKO ADVISED AMERICANS TO WORK THROUGH LOCAL
CUSTOMS BROKERS, AND EXPLAINED THAT THESE BROKERS
ALREADY HANDLE MUCH OF WHAT PASSES THROUGH CUSTOMS.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE UNCERTAIN LEGAL BASIS FOR RUSSIAN
CUSTOMS BROKERS, USENKO EXPLAINED THAT STATE CUSTOMS
COMMITTEE DECREE NUMBER 873 (DATE: JULY 17, 1996),
WHILE WITHOUT DUMA APPROVAL, GAVE ADEQUATE AUTHORITY
FOR USE OF CUSTOMS BROKERS.
3. POST COMMENT: UNDER CURRENT RUSSIAN LAW, ONLY
COMPANIES WITH A VALID CUSTOMS DECLARANT LICENSE MAY
HELP U.S. FIRMS GET GOODS THROUGH CUSTOMS. U.S. FIRMS
NEGOTIATING WITH RUSSIAN CUSTOMS BROKERS FOR ASSISTANCE
IN CUSTOMS CLEARANCE SHOULD ASK THE FIRMS FOR A COPY OF
THEIR DECLARANT LICENSE. POST RECOMMENDS THAT U.S.
COMPANIES EXPORTING INTO THE RFE MARKET PERFORM
APPROPRIATE DUE DILIGENCE ON ALL POTENTIAL TRADING
PARTNERS AND CONTRACTORS, AND RELY ON THE ADVISE OF
EXPERIENCED WESTERN SHIPPING FIRMS ON CUSTOMS ISSUES.
POST ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT, IN VIEW OF THE LACK OF
PREDICTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN CURRENT RUSSIAN
CUSTOMS LAWS, U.S. FIRMS MAKE A THOROUGH STUDY OF PORT
AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE
HIGH COSTS AND DELAYS, AND BE FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE IN
SHIPPING AND CUSTOMS ARRANGEMENTS. LOCAL U.S. FIRMS
ALSO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING GOOD PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL SHIPPERS AND CUSTOMS
AUTHORITIES.
CLEAR-PAC
4. MR. USENKO WELCOMED THE JOINT U.S.-RUSSIAN CLEAR-PAC
COMPUTERIZED CUSTOMS INITIATIVE. HE EXPRESSED HIS
HOPE THAT SAKHALIN ISLAND WOULD BE ONE OF THE NEXT
SITES SELECTED FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
5. USENKO STATED THAT AMERICANS FREQUENTLY NEGLECT TO
OBTAIN PROPERLY CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, AND/OR
PERMITS FOR GOODS THEY IMPORT. HE EXPLAINED THAT
IMPORTED MEAT MUST BE CHECKED WHEN COMING INTO SAKHALIN
AND THAT SAMPLES WOULD BE REQUIRED. ELECTRONIC DEVICES
(SUCH AS CELLULAR PHONES AND RADIO PHONES) MUST BE
CHECKED BY THE LOCAL CENTER FOR STANDARDIZATION AND
METROLOGY TO DETERMINE THAT THEY OPERATE AT APPROPRIATE
FREQUENCIES. EXPLOSIVES AND CERTAIN CHEMICALS (SUCH AS
ACIDS) REQUIRE EXTENSIVE PAPERWORK. HE STATED THAT, IN
MANY CASES, LOCALLY-PRODUCED EXPLOSIVES AND CHEMICALS
WERE AVAILABLE AT LOW COST, AND PRECLUDED THE NEED FOR
COSTLY LICENSING OF IMPORTS. (COMMENT: LOCALLY-PRODUCED
EXPLOSIVES AND CHEMICALS MAY NOT NECESSARILY
MEET WORLD INDUSTRY SPECIFICATIONS.) ALL MEDICINES
MUST BE LICENSED FOR IMPORT BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
IN MOSCOW, AND CANNOT BE CLEARED BY SAKHALIN CUSTOMS
WITHOUT THESE LICENSES.
6. USENKO STATED THAT PRODUCTS CERTIFIED BY
VLADIVOSTOK AUTHORITIES WOULD BE CONSIDERED CORRECTLY
CERTIFIED ON SAKHALIN, SO LONG AS THEY COME FROM THE
SAME COMPANY AND ARE THE SAME PRODUCT. HE ADVISED
AMERICANS ENCOUNTERING PROBLEMS TO CONTACT THE CUSTOMS
AGENCY'S JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT (SEE BELOW).
KEY CONTACTS:
AMERICAN BUSINESS CENTER YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK
DINTY MILLER, ABC MANAGER
32, KOMMUNISTICHESKIY PROSPECT, YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK
PHONE: 4242-727124/5
SAT. PHONE: 509-95-1545; SAT. FAX 509-95-1540
E-MAIL: ABC@ABC.SAKHALIN.SU
SAKHALIN GOVERNMENT CONTACTS:
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK CUSTOMS
MR. ANATOLIY V. USENKO
56A, POGRANICHNAYA STR.,
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK 693008
PHONE: 42422-30867; FAX: 4242-722157
TELETYPE: 152084 "ZALIV"
CUSTOMS JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT
56A, POGRANICHNAYA STR.,
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK 693008
MS. GALINA MEDVEDEVA, HEAD
PHONE: 42422-54352; FAX: 4242-722157
SAKHALIN CENTER FOR STANDARDIZATION AND METROLOGY
MR. YURIY G. NIKULIN, DIRECTOR
PHONE: 42422-35535, FAX: 4242-420309
TELETYPE: 152165 METR
CUSTOMS BROKERS RECOMMENDED BY MR. USENKO:
RUSSIAN CUSTOMS AGENCY
113, MIRA AVE, OFFICE #92
MS. ELENA A. BATMANOVA, DIRECTOR
MR. ALEXANDER KOROVIN
PHONE/FAX: 42422-33375
SAKHVNESHTRANS
20, KARL MARX STREET, OFFICE 207
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK
MR. MIKHAIL YEGOROV, CUSTOMS BROKER
PHONE: 42422-32478
MOBILE: 4242-471997
FAX: 42422-34410
FAX: +7 (50441) 62098
E-MAIL: SVTS@SAKHALIN.RU
EURASIA INTERTRANS
MR. GENNADY GINSBURG, CUSTOMS BROKER
PHONE: 4242-722657; 714502; 714978
FAX: +7 (50441) 62003
E-MAIL: EURASIA@SAKHMAIL.SAKHALIN.RU
COMMENTS:
-- INCLUSION OF FIRMS IN THIS CABLE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE
AN OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT RECOMMENDATION. U.S. FIRMS
SHOULD, AS ALWAYS, PERFORM APPROPRIATE DUE DILIGENCE
AND PROCEED WITH SENSIBLE CAUTION WHEN APPROACHING
TRANSACTIONS IN RUSSIA.
-- PHONE NUMBERS AND AREA CODES IN THE RFE ARE SUBJECT
TO PERIODIC AND UNANNOUNCED CHANGES. CURRENTLY AREA
CODE FOR YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK IS +7 4242 FOR 6 DIGIT
TELEPHONES, AND +7 42422 FOR 5 DIGIT NUMBERS. PHONE
CONNECTIONS ARE SOMETIMES UNRELIABLE.
This report is provided courtesy of the Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States (BISNIS)