Belarus: Private businesses, sole traders to export timber

On February 12, the President of Belarus signed Decree No 91 “On some issues of forestry activity” to extend the rights of timber producers and create additional conditions for increasing their sales on the domestic and foreign market in 2009.

Today, the right to export timber is exercised by the export-based companies Bellesexport, Belarustorg and Bellesbumexport. These organisations sign commission agreements with legal entities and sole traders of Belarus to establish direct exports of timber.

The decree rules out this standard that bars timber exports, complicates timber supplies to the foreign market, increases expenditures of timber-processing companies. Thus, private companies and sole traders gain the right to export timber.

The Council of Ministers of Belarus is to enforce rules and terms of timber foreign trade in 2009 in order to take up operational measures for timber sales on the world market.

The decision will boost timber exports and intensify the use of forest resources.

The decree took effect on January 1, 2009. It does not apply to the relations established before the decree came into force.