New Partner in the Customs and Foreign Trade Regulation Practice, Pepeliaev Group
In August 2010 Galina Balandina was appointed partner of Pepeliaev Group in charge of the Customs and Foreign Trade Regulation Practice. Galina is an honoured lawyer of the Russian Federation and a retired major-general of the customs service. She has a track record spanning over 20 years in the area of foreign trade regulation, including 15 years in the administration of the customs authorities, holding inter alia such positions as head of the legal department of the Russian Federal Customs Service. Galina also worked for the Russian Ministry for Economic Development as director of the department for state regulation of foreign trade. Galina Balandina participated in the drafting of the Russian Customs Code, as well as laws and regulatory acts on customs and foreign trade regulation passed by the Russian Government and the Russian Federal Customs Service.
Galina has actively developed the Customs and Foreign Trade Regulation Practice of Pepeliaev Group since the start of 2009. Under her supervision, the practice has expanded considerably and implemented a number of major projects. At present Galina is one of the key experts involved in the development of regulatory documents and amendments to legislation in connection with the establishment of the Customs Union, as well as the implementation of the Green Corridor project for innovation-based companies. She also participates actively in the development of business projects relating to the transfer of products across the Russian customs border and support of investments.
Pepeliaev Group’s Customs and Foreign Trade Regulation Practice provides services to its clients on a broad range of issues, including:
- Customs support for projects involving the export/import of products during foreign trade operations
- Practical assistance with the development of business projects relating to the transfer of goods across the Russian customs border and payment for products/services in respect of foreign trade activity
- Assistance with identification of the customs value and the drafting of arguments for the customs authorities if the customs value of products is adjusted
- Qualified legal support and conflict resolution in complicated situations during interaction with the Russian customs authorities
- Legal and customs and logistics support for the import of property contributions to the authorised capital
- Structuring of contracts with due account of Russian currency legislation
- Practical assistance with the drafting of sets of documents required for the customs clearance of products
- Legal support for international leasing
- Appeals against the decisions, actions (omissions) of the customs authorities and their officials, as well as the acts of the state authorities.
The enhanced status of the Customs and Foreign Trade Regulation Practice will enable Pepeliaev Group to provide legal support to its clients at a new and even higher professional level, when handling any issues involving relations with the foreign trade regulatory authorities.
For additional information and comments, please contact Sergey Kochetov, PR Director, Pepeliaev Group
Tel.: (495) 967-00-07, mobile: (985)210-03-16.
Pepeliaev Group is the largest full-service law firm operating in Russia today. The firm has more than 180 attorneys based in two offices in Moscow and St Petersburg that render legal services.
Key practice areas include: legal support for investment projects, tax law and tax disputes; corporate/commercial/M&A practice; antimonopoly regulation; land, real estate and construction; dispute resolution; intellectual property; employment and migration law; banking practice; customs and foreign trade regulation; administrative support for business and criminal defence for business; services for various industrial sectors: telecommunications, pharmaceuticals & healthcare, fuel and energy, financial institutions, FMCG, etc.
According to ratings published by Expert RA, from 2003 to 2009 Pepeliaev Group was recognised as the top Russian law and advisory firm. Moreover, according to Expert RA, Pepeliaev Group is the leading Russian law and tax advisory firm in 17 industries.
Pepeliaev Group is a member of the international association of law firms Terralex and Taxand global network, which brings together tax advisors from over 50 countries.
Regular clients of the firm include more than 800 large Russian and foreign companies, namely Coca-Cola, Frito Lay, Danone, Ritter Sport, Nike, Philips, British American Tobacco, Indesit Company, Oriflame, Reckitt Benckiser, Johnson & Johnson, Xerox, Moscow City Telephone Network (MGTS), VimpelCom (Beeline), Motorola, Svyazinvest, Gazprom, Shell, Schlumberger, Sakhalin Energy, Parker Drilling Company, Chevron Neftegaz Inc., Transneft, Transnefteproduct, Rosneft, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, AIG Russia, Aon, Banque Societe Generale Vostok (BSGV), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), WestLB Vostok, Rosnanotech, Rosgosstrakh, Dresdner Bank, MOSENERGO, Alrosa, Alcoa, RUSAL, Сastorama, Metro Cash&Carry, Ford, Volkswagen, Scania, GM-Avtovaz, Kamaz and others.