Kazakhstan plans a sharp recycling-fee hike for cars from Russia and Belarus
A draft order on the Open NPA portal proposes steep recycling-fee increases for imports from Russia/Belarus; public comments run to Feb 3, 2026.
Kazakhstan has opened public consultation on a draft order that changes how the recycling fee is calculated for vehicles imported from Russia and Belarus. The proposal introduces separate higher coefficients for those two countries.
If adopted, payments for many categories would jump dramatically, making imports from Russia and Belarus far more expensive. Public comments on the Open NPA portal are accepted until February 3, 2026.
Key takeaways
- The draft sets special recycling-fee coefficients for imports from Russia and Belarus.
- Rules for other EAEU countries would remain unchanged.
- Based on the proposed coefficients, fees for passenger cars could rise by tens of times.
- The scope includes passenger cars, commercial vehicles, buses, special equipment, and farm machinery.
- Public discussion ends on February 3, 2026.
Context
The rationale given is to eliminate an “imbalance of conditions” within EAEU trade. The draft materials note that when Kazakh-made vehicles are exported to Russia and Belarus, importers effectively pay the difference in customs duties and taxes, while the reverse flow enjoys simplified terms.
Details
For 2026, the base recycling-fee rate is tied to 50 MCI (216,250 tenge). For the mass market segment of 1.0–2.0L passenger cars, the current coefficient is 3.5, which yields a fee of about 756,875 tenge.
In the draft table, the coefficient for imports from Russia and Belarus is listed as 136 for the same category. That would push the payment to roughly 29.4 million tenge and would radically alter the economics of deliveries.
The proposal covers categories M1, N1–N3, M2/M3, as well as special equipment and agricultural machinery (including tractors and combines). The only stated exclusion is HS code 87.10 (tanks and armored vehicles).
What it means for buyers importing from Korea
The measure targets imports from Russia and Belarus, so direct imports from South Korea into Kazakhstan are not formally affected. However, if a vehicle is later re-exported or resold via Russia, documentation and origin checks could become stricter, increasing time and cost risks.
What to do
- Estimate the possible fee impact for your vehicle category early and build a buffer: Calculate costs.
- Compare alternatives such as locally assembled models and imports from third countries: Browse the catalog.
- Track updates and official clarifications: All news.
