Commentary to Decree No. 175 “Concerning the operation of duty free shops

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed Decree No. 175 “Concerning the operation of duty free shops”.

The decree provides for basic approaches to the operation of shops in motorway and railway border checkpoints in Belarus.

In particular, the decree envisages that a shop located in a motorway or railway border checkpoint or in a border checkpoint at the railway station can belong to the state-owned judicial person or the judicial person given at least 49% of shares in its authorized fund is owned by the Republic of Belarus.

In order to prevent illegal commercial use of products purchased in duty free shops on the territory of the Republic of Belarus and ensure proper control over their movement across the Belarusian border the decree specifies that persons who bought products in duty free shops must declare them unless they export these products abroad.

The decree, except for several articles, shall enter into force in three months after its official publication.