Belarus has raised export duties on oil and petroleum products starting September 1, with the move reported by Interfax. The adjustments mark another step in Minsk’s ongoing adjustments to its tax regime for energy exports.
From now on, export taxes for crude oil, petroleum bitumen, fuel oil, petrolatum, paraffin, and waste oil products rise to 21.4 dollars per ton, up from 16.9 dollars previously. Belarusian exporters face a separate charge of 11.7 dollars per ton when shipping straight fuel abroad, up from 9.2 dollars. The levy on commercial gasoline and diesel also climbed, moving from 5 to 6.4 dollars per ton, and the same rate applies to suppliers of medium distillates, benzene, toluene, xylene, and lubricating oils.
This latest jump follows a pattern of monthly adjustments in the year, after Minsk had previously trimmed taxes on July 1 and then raised them again on August 1. Rates have also been adjusted on June 1, May 1, April 1, and March 1, making this the sixth increase within the year. A reduction was noted on February 1, and a steep cut of 61.4 percent occurred on January 1. These series of changes reflect a broader strategy to recalibrate export revenue and domestic supply conditions within the region.
Since 2010, Belarus has aligned its export duty structure for oil and petroleum products with the levels in Russia. This alignment is influenced by Minsk’s practice of counting duty-free oil imports from Moscow and by agreements within the Eurasian Economic Union. Since 2015, all export taxes on oil and petroleum products have remained integrated into the Belarusian budget, framing fiscal policy around energy trade within the union’s framework.
In Russia, export taxes on oil and related products also increased starting September 1. The customs tariff for crude oil rose to 21.4 dollars per ton, with light petroleum products and dark-colored products taxed at 6.4 and 21.4 dollars per ton respectively. The tax on gasoline similarly stands at 6.4 dollars per ton, and a comparable approach applies to natural gas. The buckle in export earnings for domestic producers is a noted consequence, with the tariff rise expected to bolster the Russian budget while potentially reducing the earnings of Russian oil exporters. In mid-August, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak directed the Ministry of Energy to explore the possibility of issuing licenses for exporting petroleum products from Russia, signaling strategic considerations about supply, pricing, and market access going forward.
Earlier discussions also pointed to the possibility that the price of petroleum products could rise in Russia as a response to these fiscal maneuvers. The evolving tax landscape in both Belarus and Russia continues to influence regional trade flows, domestic prices, and the profitability of energy-related industries across the two economies. Stakeholders across the sector may monitor how these duty changes affect refinery operations, export competitiveness, and the broader energy market dynamics in the region.