CLS lawyers outline key trends in logistics and foreign trade

"Two things give away a participant in foreign economic activity: they always remember the TN VED code and they always look for alternative payment mechanisms."

"Two things give away a foreign trade participant: they always remember their TN VED code and they always seek alternative payment mechanisms."

Ekaterina Smolovaya, Partner, Head of Tax Practice at CLS

On March 4, a business breakfast, "Foreign Trade Trends 2025: Challenges and Prospects. Practical Views from Representatives of the Logistics and Legal Industries," was held in St. Petersburg at the Nevesomosti restaurant of the Vvedensky Hotel. It was jointly organized by CLS and Canavara Group. At the event, experts discussed key trends and risks of foreign economic activity in 2025. The business breakfast brought together bank representatives, importers and exporters, logistics company employees, and business owners focused on international cooperation.

The event featured speakers including Ekaterina Smolova, Partner and Head of the Tax Practice at CLS, Anna Sotnikova, Associate in the Tax Practice at CLS, as well as Andrey Serebryakov, Deputy General Director for Client Services at Kanavara Group, and Yulia Antropova, General Director of TSV. They discussed a wide range of issues related to tax and customs risks, adapting logistics to new realities, product classification, and the benefits of working with authorized economic operators.

The speaker for the first session was Ekaterina Smolova:

"Foreign economic activity planning and resolving related issues have become a cornerstone of many companies' existence in recent years. Interest in this area is also fueled by the clear trend toward increased attention from regulatory authorities to businesses. At the recent business breakfast, we examined in detail the key aspects of foreign economic activity, including customs declaration issues, tax implications and risks, and effective payment mechanisms.

Anna Sotnikova delivered a presentation at the fourth session, "Current Trends and Risks in Commodity Classification." She covered in detail issues related to commodity classification disputes and outlined effective strategies for defending against claims.

Other sessions were led by Andrey Serebryakov and Yulia Antropova. They presented the topics "Building an Adaptive Logistics System in the Context of Current Restrictions" and "Authorized Economic Operators as an Element of Simplifying Customs Procedures."

Through discussions of real-world cases, participants received not only up-to-date information on current legal requirements but also practical recommendations for mitigating risks in foreign trade activities. Following the official part of the event, a lively discussion ensued, in which participants discussed with the speakers the pressing issues their companies face in the lead-up to tax audits and asked questions.