OREANDA-NEWS. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an agreement on the principles of tax policy in the field of excise taxes on tobacco products of the EAEU member states. The corresponding document is published on the federal portal of draft legal acts. "To accept the proposal of the Government of the Russian Federation to sign an agreement on the principles of tax policy in the field of excise taxes on tobacco products of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union", the document says.

The head of state considers it appropriate to sign this agreement at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. At the same time, the Ministry of Finance of Russia, according to the document, is allowed during the negotiations on the signing of the agreement to make amendments to its draft approved by the government that aren't of a fundamental nature.

On October 18, 2019, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the agreement on harmonization of tobacco excise taxes in the EAEU and sent it for signature to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The document provides for the introduction of a single indicative excise tax rate, which will be established starting from 2024 for a period of five years.