As separate measures, Australia has announced:
- a 35% additional tariff for products from Belarus and Russia; and
- new luxury goods export sanctions for Russia.
35% additional tariff for goods from Russia or Belarus
On 1 April 2022, the Notice of Intention to Propose Customs Tariff Alterations (No. 3) 2022 was published, outlining Australia’s intention to apply an additional 35% tariff on all imports from Russia, as well as Belarus.
The tariff will be applied to “additional duty goods”. These are goods that are:
- the produce or manufacture of Russia or Belarus; and
- imported into Australia between 25 April 2022 and 24 October 2022 (Rate Increase Period), or imported into Australia before 25 April 2022, where the calculation of the rate of import duty occurs during the Rate Increase Period.
Goods will be the produce or manufacture of Russia or Belarus if:
- the goods are unmanufactured raw products of Russia or Belarus; or
- the last process in the manufacture of the goods was performed in Russia or Belarus. Minimal operations or processes, such as changing packing or breaking up or assembly of packages, that occur outside of Russia or Belarus are taken not to be a process in the manufacture of the goods.
The tariff will be in addition to any applicable general duty rates for the relevant goods.
Additional sanctions – prohibition on export of luxury goods
On 4 April 2022, the Autonomous Sanctions (Export Sanctioned Goods—Russia) Amendment (No.1) Designation 2022 (Designation) was published, designating 27 categories of luxury goods as “export sanctioned goods” for Russia. The Designation will come into effect on 7 April 2022 and will impose export sanctions on listed goods. Some of the listed goods are prohibited regardless of value (e.g., pure-bred horses, listed wine and food products and pearls, precious and semi-precious stones). Other goods exceeding a monetary value are prohibited (e.g., AUD 500 for personal consumer electronics, leather goods, perfumes and garments and shoes). The luxury goods included in the Designation will not be able to be sold or transferred directly or indirectly to, for use in, or for the benefit of Russia.
