England is an administrative and political part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the largest administrative unit with a population of over 80% of the total population of the UK. However, in everyday life the names "England" and "Great Britain" are used interchangeably. The statistics of trade and economic relations with Russia are also kept only for Great Britain. Thus, trade between Russia and Great Britain in 2020 amounted to 26 billion US dollars, an increase of more than 50% compared to the previous year. Moreover, only the volume of export supplies increased significantly, while imports decreased.

Features of import to England

The UK has been and remains an important trading partner for Russia, despite sanctions and political complications. Some imports remain banned due to the 2014 food embargo. At the end of 2020, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was separately included in the list of countries subject to the embargo, in connection with the country's withdrawal from the European Union.

The ban applies to:

• meat and meat products;

• milk and dairy products;

• fish and fish products;

• vegetables;

• fruits;

• live pigs, with the exception of breeding pigs;

• animal by-products and fats, animal oil. 

Transit of the above products through the territory of Russia to other countries is possible only with the use of GLONASS seals and registration coupons.

Pharmaceuticals, cars, tobacco products, electronics, and alcoholic beverages are imported from the UK. There are some features of the import of these products:

1. Cars are classified as excisable goods and are cleared through customs only at the relevant customs posts.

2. Pharmaceutical products must be placed in specialized warehouses and transported in compliance with the temperature regime. In addition, import is complicated by the need for additional documents: registration certificate, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade license, permission if the drug contains narcotic substances. Each item of goods must be conducted through the Chestny ZNAK system, for which it is marked with special control and measuring marks.

3. Tobacco products, like cars, are cleared through customs at the posts of the Excise Customs. Each package is affixed with an excise stamp, which the importer must obtain and apply in advance. This does not obviate the need for marking with CIMs.

4. Notification is required for computers, telephones and other complex telecommunication equipment. It is issued by the FSB before the import of products.

5. Alcoholic drinks from Great Britain, and this, first of all, strong alcohol, such as whiskey, are cleared through customs at the posts subject to the Excise Customs. Only legal entities registered in EGAIS and licensed can be engaged in import. Since 2021, excise stamps for alcohol have been replaced by FSM - federal special stamps that contain EGAIS information in encrypted form.
   

Note! Branded products require permission from the copyright holder.

Features of export to England

For export, the following features should be noted:

1. To confirm the zero VAT rate, you must provide the appropriate package of documentation within 180 calendar days.

2. “A Form” certificate is required. It is issued by the Chamber of Commerce.

3. Some products, such as cereals, are subject to export duties.

4. For the export of alcoholic beverages, the same rules apply as for the import of alcohol from the UK to Russia: a license, a legal entity, registration with the EGAIS are required.

5. As for imported products, permits are issued confirming the quality of goods.

Categories and types of imported and exported goods

Exports from Russia to the UK amounted to more than USD 23 billion in 2020. As a percentage of the total volume of supplies, the main share was made up of:

• precious stones and metals - 82.91% (TN VED 71);

• mineral products - 13.30% (TN VED 25-27);

• chemical industry products - 1.09% (TN VED 28-40);

• wood and products of the pulp and paper industry - 0.84% ​​(TN VED 44-49);

• metals and metal products - 0.58% (TN VED 72-83).

The export of the item “natural and cultured pearls, precious and semi-precious stones, precious metals ...” increased the most - by more than $ 12 billion (TN VED 71). At the same time, the export of petroleum products decreased by almost USD 3 billion (TN VED 27).

In terms of imports, the situation was as follows: from Great Britain, the following was mainly brought: 

• equipment, machinery and vehicles - 46.25% (TN VED 84-90);

• hemical products - 30.24% (TN VED 28-40);

• agricultural raw materials, foodstuffs - 13.54% (TN VED 01-24);

• metals and metal products - 4.44% (TN VED 72-83);

• textile products and footwear - 1.42% (TN VED 50-67);

• pulp and paper products - 1.19% (TN VED 44-49);

• precious metals and stones - 0.40% (TN VED 71). 
  

The increase in imports was registered in relation to copper, organic chemistry, food products (TN VED 21, 29, 74). The import of pharmaceutical products, transport, precious metals, stones, essential oils, tobacco, soap and other goods decreased (TN VED 24, 30, 33, 34, 38, 39, 71, 85, 87).

Features of cargo transportation

Since England is located on an island, the most relevant modes of transportation are sea and air. Within the country, as well as in transit through Europe, products can be transported by road or by rail by train. Most often, a multimodal transportation scheme is used, which allows you to save financial resources and optimize delivery times. For example, a cargo can be sent from England in a truck. The truck, breaking a car ferry, gets to Germany, or, having passed through a tunnel under the English Channel, to France. At this stage, it is possible to reload into railway containers, but this is rarely done, because the rut of the European and Russian railways is different, on the border with Russia, the products will have to be reloaded again, and this is an extra cost. From there, the cargo travels to Russia via Poland, Lithuania, Latvia or via Poland and Belarus. On average, it takes 6 to 10 days.

By sea, cargo from England to Russia is sent from the ports of Liverpool and London. The cargo goes to the Big Port of St. Petersburg, Bronka, Ust-Luga, Novorossiysk. The duration of transportation will be approximately 20 days.

Benefits of air transportation

An airplane is the fastest transport that can deliver cargo to Russia in just 1 day. There are several international airports in England. Among them: Heathrow, Glasgow, Manchester, Stansted. In Russia, cargo can be delivered to any international airport: Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Koltsovo, Vnukovo, Pulkovo and others. This is the best way to deliver perishable, valuable, fragile goods and urgent goods.

Advantages of air transportation:

• efficiency;

• no need to carry out customs clearance in transit countries;

• there is no need to repackage or transshipment of cargo along the route. 

Please note that SB Cargo can provide specialized services for air cargo transportation. We are an accredited cargo agent of IATA, an international organization that includes many air carriers. We interact with them directly, which gives us a lot of advantages, including more favorable air fares.

Customs clearance

Customs clearance is carried out for any goods crossing the customs border, regardless of the customs regime. This is a step-by-step process, including the preparation of accompanying documentation, registration of permits, classification of goods according to the TN VED, filling out and registering a customs declaration, payment of customs duties, inspection of goods and release in the declared customs regime.

Customs representatives of "SB Cargo" will help with logistics and customs clearance of goods from England or products supplied from Russia to England. We have extensive experience, so we undertake the transportation and clearance of any cargo: groupage, general, hazardous, valuable, fragile, oversized, live animals and other "difficult" categories.

Please, contact us to order logistics services or customs clearance. We also provide a comprehensive import support service, which involves the almost complete organization of the delivery of products from one country to another, with the exception of the conclusion of a contract. This operation is performed by the customer with the supplier independently. On the issue of drawing up a contract and other related issues, please, contact us by phone.