Russian Customs Regulations
The following goods may be imported into the Russian Federation by persons aged 16 years and older without incurring Customs duty:
• 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco products (over 18 years).
• 2 litres of alcoholic beverage (over 21 years).
• A reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use.
• Gifts up to the value of US$10,000.
Prohibited Imports
Weapons and ammunition, radio electrical equipment, narcotics, fruit, vegetables, sturgeon of any species or sturgeon products, and live animals unless with a special permit.
Prohibited Exports
Arms, works of art and antiques (unless permission has been granted by the Ministry of Culture), precious metals and furs.
Up to 250g of caviar per person may be exported, provided a receipt is shown proving that it was bought at a store licensed to sell it to foreigners and a licence from the Ministry of Economical Development is presented.
Text 3
British Customs Regulations
The following items may be imported into the UK without incurring Customs duty by travellers aged 17 years and over arriving from non-EU countries:
• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. These can be combined provided travellers do not exceed their total tobacco allowance.
• 4 litres of still wine.
• 1litre of alcoholic beverages stronger than 22% or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine or other liqueurs. These can be combined provided travellers do not exceed their total alcohol allowance.
• 16 litres of beer.
• Other goods including souvenirs up to the value of 340.
Note: Goods obtained duty and tax paid in the EU countries are unlimited.
Prohibited Imports
Prohibited items include unlicensed drugs, offensive weapons, indecent and obscene material featuring children, counterfeit and pirated goods, meat, dairy and other animal products, and pornography.
Restricted items include firearms, explosives and ammunition, live animals, endangered species, certain plants, their products and radio transmitters.
Prohibited Exports
It’s illegal to take any meat, meat products, milk, and milk and dairy products abroad from animals that are susceptible to foot and mouth disease. This ban includes sandwiches, packed lunches, and food for self-catering holidays, fresh, chilled, frozen, tinned, preserved and processed products.
Exercise 9. Fill in the gaps using the words from the box.
| Customs; states; products; personal use; visitors; duty-free; limits; rules |
Text 4
Abolition of Duty-free Goods within the EU countries
On 30 June 1999, the sale of (1) ______alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May, 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January, 2007, these (2) ______already apply to Cyprus and Malta.
There are transitional rules in place for (3) _______returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15 countries, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are no (4) ______imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol (5) ______ from one EU country to another.
Travellers should note that they may be required to prove at (6) ______that the goods purchased are for (7) ______only. Member (8) ______ may follow the EU’s guide levels of: 10 litres of spirits; 20 litres of fortified wine; 90 litres of wine; 110 litres of beer; 800 cigarettes; 400 cigarillos; 200 cigars and 1kg of tobacco.
Note: The UK follows the above EU guide levels, with the exception of cigarettes (3,200) and tobacco (3kg).
Exercise 10.Translate the following text into Russian.
Hand Luggage Restrictions: Liquids, Gels
The airport says Manchester T1’s new layout is more appropriate given the security restrictions regarding the carriage of liquids and gels as hand luggage.
Under current security rules, passengers are only allowed to carry liquids, gels and aerosols in containers no bigger than 100ml.
This has resulted in passengers having to discard products that do not meet these criteria, some of which they have purchased at shops before getting to the security checkpoints.
By removing “pre-security” retail and leisure facilities, the airport believes this problem can be reduced.
Exercise 11.Answer the following questions:
1. What are the security restrictions regarding the carriage of liquids and gels as hand luggage?
2. Whatarepassengers allowed to carry?
3. What do you know about the same restrictions regarding the carriage of liquids and gels at the Russian airports?
Exercise 12.Read Text 5 and translate the Russian words and word- combinations into English.
Choose from:
foreign trade; statistics; import; functions; revenue collection; merger; change; excise duties; European Union; responsibilities; tasks; Customs duties; consequences; extremely; restrictions; export; trade facilitation; addition; VAT[5]; assessment; enforcement; charges; role; protection; goods.
Text 5
HM[6] Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
HM Revenue & Customs was formed on the 18 April 2005, following the объединение of Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise Departments.
The role of Customs in взимание платежей and social защита is чрезвычайно important but this has to be balanced with the role of Customs in упрощение торговли. This is how the British Customs Service sees its роль today.
Main обязанности. As well as the collection of VAT and акцизные сборы. Revenue and Customs is also responsible for:
-collectionof таможенные пошлины and agricultural levies for the Евросоюз;
-правоприменение of prohibitions and ограничения on imports and exports;
-задачи connected with внешняя торговля including the collection of trade статистика.
Customs duties. The начисление and collection of Customs duties on imported товары have always been one of the main функции of Revenue and Customs. However, one of the последствия of membership in the European Union has been a изменение in the nature of Customs duties. In дополнение, Customs and Excise collects and controls the other сборы (налоги) which may be levied at ввоз and remitted at вывоз, such as excise duties and НДС.
Exercise 13.Comprehension questions.
1. When was HM Revenue & Customs formed?
2. What are the main responsibilities of the British Customs Service?
3. What Customs duties are enumerated in the text above?
4. What was one of the consequences of membership in the European Union?
Talking Points
Exercise 14.Write 10 sentence summary of Texts 1-3. Discuss it with the rest of the class.
Exercise 15.Why do people try to smuggle through the Customs exotic plants they bought in a foreign country?
Focus on Grammar
Exercise 16. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.
1. У вас есть ценные вещи: предметы старины или искусства?
2. В декларации необходимо указать все изделия из драгоценных камней, которые вы везете с собой.
3. Пассажиры обязаны внести в декларацию все ценные вещи при въезде в страну.
4. Для вывоза за границу предметов старины и искусства требуется разрешение Министерства культуры Российской Федерации.
5. Отсутствие в декларации предметов, подлежащих декларированию, является нарушением таможенных правил и влечет за собой штраф, задержание и/или конфискацию ценных вещей и денег.
6. Вы должны предъявить таможеннику чек о приобретении (покупке) данной иконы и разрешение Министерства культуры на ее вывоз.
Exercise 18. Open the brackets using the correct Passive form.
Example: I’m going to a party tonight. I (invite) by my friend. – I was invited by my friend.
1. Tom didn’t go to the meeting yesterday. It (cancel).
2. They (take) to hospital by ambulance.
3. I have a beautiful jumper which (to knit) by my grandmother.
4. The new bridge (build) already.
5. Breakfasts (serve) every day from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
6. This secret must (not reveal) to anyone.
7. He (consider) to be a very talented musician.
8. Tickets (sell) until the day of the concert.
9. The instructions must (follow) very carefully.
Exercise 19. Open the brackets using the correct Active or Passive form.
Example: This tree is very old. It (plant) in the 19th century. – It was planted in the 19th century.
1. This piece of music (not record) yet. I’ve just composed it.
2. The thieves (steal) the jewellery from the safe yesterday.
3. We began work early, but we (not finish) until late.
4. Jenny (complain) to the manager about the faulty items at the moment.
5. This photograph (take) by my grandfather when I was five.
6. We (delay) because there was a lot of traffic this morning.
7. Not much (know) about this complicated subject.
8. I’m going home now because all the work (do).
9. His house is very modern. It (build) only two years ago.
Exercise 20. Rewrite the sentences in Passive.
Example: John opened the door. – The door was opened by John.
1. Their mother takes them to the park every day.
2. Meg asked the policeman for directions.
3. The postman delivered the letter two days ago.
4. Sam took these photographs.
5. Do they teach Latin at this school?
6. Michael has made the preparations.
7. Is she cleaning the house?
8. Who built the Pyramids?
9. I expect they will deliver my new car soon.
10. The police are questioning the suspects.
11. Did your next door neighbours see the thieves?
12. A lot of children use computers nowadays.
13. They may not deliver the parcel today.
Exercise 21.Choose the best way to change the sentences into Passive.
1. Esther gave Sue a nice present.
a) Esther was given a nice present by Sue.
b) Sue was given a nice present by Esther.
c) A nice present was given to Esther by Sue.
d) A nice present was given to Sue from Esther.
2. A thief stole Bob’s painting.
a) Bob’s painting has stole by a thief.
b) Bob’s painting was stolen by a thief.
c) Bob’s painting was stole by a thief.
d) Bob’s painting was stealed by a thief.
3. The news surprised us all.
a) We all surprising by the news.
b) We all surprised by the news.
c) We all are surprised from the news.
d) We all were surprised by the news.
4. Joan spread the newspaper out on the floor.
a) The newspaper was spreaded out on the floor by Joan.
b) The newspaper has spreaded out on the floor.
c) The newspaper is spreaded out on the floor.
d) The newspaper was spread out on the floor.
5. Where did he put the suitcase?
a) Where did the suitcase put by him?
b) Where was the suitcase put?
c) Where has the suitcase been put by him?
d) Where was the suitcase putted?
6. Ben drove me to the airport.
a) I was drove to the airport by Ben.
b) I was driven to the airport by Ben.
c) I was drived to the airport by Ben.
d) I been drive to the airport by Ben.
7. He may forget the password.
a) The password may be forgot.
b) The password may been forgot.
c) The password may have been forgotten.
d) The password may be forgotten.
8. He should have done the assignment.
a) The assignment should have been done.
b) The assignment should be done.
c) The assignment should had been done.
d) The assignment should have been did.
9. John has completed the project.
a) The project completed by John.
b) The project has been completed by John.
c) The project was completed by John.
d) The project has completed by John.
10. They had to change the law.
a) The law had to been changed.
b) The law had been change.
c) The law had to be changed.
d) The law had to have been changed.