Alexey Sizov, head of Customs and International Trade practice at KIAP, has won litigation for a major global retailer in a precedent-setting case against customs authorities. Courts at three instances have upheld KIAP's reasoning that the importer is under no duty to include intellectual property licence fees in the customs value.
The ruling was important for the client because of the risk of several billion extra customs charges.
KIAP has a proven track record in setting precedents of rejection of claims for the inclusion of licence fees in the customs value in the Central (case No A23-1556/2010) and North-Western (case No A44-3558/2010) legal districts.