Several key initiatives proposed by Kazakhstan were approved at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EAEU) Council meeting on September 26, held online and chaired by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin.
The Council endorsed a pilot project, effective February 1, 2026, to use navigation seals for transporting specific types of timber within the EAEU. This measure resolves a long-standing issue related to vehicle registration for timber shipments from Belarus and Russia to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Navigation seals attached to cargo will simplify the transport and tracking of cooperage timber, railway and tram sleepers, and other timber types sent to Kazakhstan for processing.
The use of serial certificates to confirm the country of origin of goods exported from Kazakhstan to EAEU countries has also been extended. Entrepreneurs will now be able to obtain a single certificate valid for six months, removing the need to confirm origin for each shipment. This change reduces administrative burdens and facilitates trade among member states.
Additionally, the Council approved Kazakhstan’s proposal to release vehicles without emergency call system buttons until December 31, 2030, and vehicles imported by official dealers under national legislation until December 31, 2028.
The Council also supported a tariff exemption on aviation fuel, diesel, and gasoline imported from third countries into the EAEU, currently subject to a 5% import duty. Kazakhstan faces a domestic jet fuel shortage in 2025, with projected demand of 1.2mn tons while domestic production covers only part of that amount, leaving a gap of 233,000 tons. The exemption is expected to support domestic supply and the country’s program to expand transit air cargo traffic. Refinery expansion projects will further increase jet fuel production to 1.4mn tons between 2026 and 2030.
Other topics discussed included foreign trade regulation, technical standards, the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and broader EAEU functioning.
