Kazakhstan to ban export of petroleum products for six months

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan proposes to impose a ban on the export of petroleum products, including the EAEU countries, for a period of six months.
The corresponding draft joint order, prepared by the Ministries of Energy, Finance, Internal Affairs and the National Security Committee, has been published on the Open legalacts portal. It is under public discussion until March 14.
This measure is aimed at strengthening control over the export of fuel and lubricants and compliance with obligations to Russia to ban the re-export of fuel.
The document indicates that the country is currently experiencing an uncharacteristic increase in the consumption of "people's" AI-92 gasoline and diesel fuel.

"According to law enforcement agencies, the monthly volumes of ‘gray’ exports and flows of fuel and lubricants under the guise of ‘cover goods’ reach from 10 to 45 thousand tons, which is due to the difference in prices - in Kazakhstan, fuel and lubricant prices are lower than in neighboring countries by 17 - 166 percent. Moreover, within the framework of the Agreement on the supply of oil and oil products, the Republic of Kazakhstan is forced to import oil products on the terms of duty-free deliveries and, accordingly, the requirements of the Russian side to prohibit the re-export of fuels and lubricants outside the EAEU are taken into account. Thus, it is necessary to strengthen control over the export of oil products under the guise of ‘cover goods,’ including outside the EAEU," the draft order says.

Earlier, Ministry of Energy announced plans for a phased liberalization of prices for fuels and lubricants in order to eliminate the price gap with neighboring countries and minimize the risk of "gray" exports. At the same time, the department assured that the government will not allow a sharp increase in fuel prices.
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