News - Russia State Duma Committee on Energy approves protocol on duty-free supply of bitumen to Armenia

The Russian State Duma Committee on Energy has approved the ratification of the protocol of the intergovernmental agreement which ensures duty-free deliveries of bitumen, instead of tar, from Russia to Armenia, RIA Novosti reported. The agreement on cooperation between Russia and Armenia in the supplies of natural gas, petroleum products, and unprocessed natural diamonds was signed on December 2, 2013. It contains the list of Russian oil products that are exported to Armenia with an indicative balance, for domestic consumption, and without export customs duty. The aforesaid protocol, which was signed on June 1, 2023, replaces bitumen with tar on this list, which enables its supplies to be carried out without paying the export tax. "At the request of the Armenian side (...), the previously specified tar is replaced with petroleum bitumen. It is related to the expansion of road construction in Armenia," Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Anastasia Bondarenko said at the meeting of the State Duma Committee on Energy. Bitumen is expected to be supplied to Armenia in the same amount as in the case of tar. "Tar was 30,000 tons, and bitumen also is supposed to be delivered in the same amount," said Bondarenko.