On focus

The agreements between the Green Card Bureaux of Russia and Belarus with the respective Bureaux in the EEA States, Switzerland and the UK will be suspended ss of 1 June 2023

20 April 2023

The Council of Bureaux (COB) has informed its members that as of 1 June 2023, the bilateral agreements between the Green Card Bureau of Russia and the Green Card Bureaux of the EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will be suspended. The same applies to the Green Card Office of Belarus. As a result, from 1 June 2023, cross-border traffic between these countries will be subject to frontier insurance.

Also, the Supervisory Board of the Council of Bureaux has taken a decision to suspend the membership of the Green Card Bureau of Russia in the Green Card system as of 30 June 2023, to be approved by the General Assembly of the Council of Bureaux. If approved, traffic between all member countries of the Green Card system and Russia will be subject to a frontier insurance requirement from that date.

With regard to the Green Card Bureau of Belarus, the Supervisory Board of the Council of Bureaux will make a formal recommendation to the 2023 General Assembly to suspend Belarus' membership in the Green Card System. Depending on the decision of the General Assembly, traffic between Green Card System member countries and Belarus may also be subject to a frontier insurance requirement as of the effective date of the General Assembly decision.

In connection with these decisions, information is provided by the Green Card Offices of Russia and Belarus on the provisions in the two countries concerned for the provision of frontier insurance.

The Russian Green Card Bureau has provided the following information on frontier insurance:

• There is no classic frontier insurance in Russia. In accordance with the Russian MTPL law, motorists entering the territory of Russia without a Green Card, or from a country which is not a member of the Green Card system, are obliged to purchase a local MTPL insurance policy.
• The MTPL insurance policy can be issued for the period of the temporary visit but cannot have a validity period of less than 5 days.
• The MTPL insurance policy is issued in the Russian language.
• As a rule, MTPL selling points are located within 500 metres from each border checkpoint open for international transport and are accessible 24/7.
• The confirmed relevant selling points operating in cross border areas are:
• Checkpoint Brusnichno, Leningrad oblast – insurer: 21 century
• Checkpoint Ivangorod, Leningrad oblast – insurer: AlfaStrakhovanie, 21 century, Renessans
• Checkpoint Svetogorsk, Leningrad oblast – insurer: 21 century
• Checkpoint Jorfyanovka, Leningrad oblast – insurer: 21 century
• Checkpoint Burachki, Pskov oblast – insurer: 21 century
• Checkpoint Liuttya, Republic of Karelia – insurer: Renessans
• Checkpoint Sovetsk, Kaliningrad oblast – insurer: AlfaStrakhovanie, 21 century

• The Russian Green Card Bureau notes that the number of selling points depends on the level of demand and the incoming traffic and the numbers of selling points are subject to change.
• The Russian Green Card Bureau explains that they do not have an impact on the establishment and number of selling points, as there are no regulations in place in this respect.

The Belarusian Green Card Bureau has provided the following information on frontier insurance:

• Upon entering the Republic of Belarus, the motorists of vehicles registered outside of the Republic of Belarus, which are not in possession of a valid Green Card covering for the territory of the Republic of Belarus, are obliged to purchase a frontier insurance policy from a Belarusian insurer for the entire period of their circulation in the territory.
• The frontier insurance contract can be concluded for a validity period of minimum 15 days. The frontier insurance can be purchased in all checkpoints across the state border of Belarus.
• In case of absence of a valid Green Card covering the territory of Belarus, and a failure to obtain a frontier insurance policy upon entry in the territory of Belarus, motorists of vehicles registered outside the Republic of Belarus are obliged to conclude a national MTPL insurance contract with a Belarusian insurer.
• The MTPL insurance policy should be valid for the entire period that the foreign vehicle circulates within the territory of Belarus. MTPL insurance policies can be issued for a validity period of minimum one month.
• When leaving the territory of the Republic of Belarus, the foreign motorist is obliged to present at the checkpoint across the Belarusian border to an official of the territorial body of the border service or the customs authority an insurance certificate valid for the territory of the Republic of Belarus, or an insurance policy confirming concluding a border insurance contract, or an insurance certificate confirming concluding a domestic insurance contract on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
• Frontier insurance contracts are concluded by the following insurers:
• Belarusian Republican Unitary Insurance Company 'Belgosstrakh' (bgs.by; info@bgs.by);
• Belarusian Republican Unitary Enterprise Eximgarant of Belarus (beg.by; info@eximgarant.by; inbox@eximgarant.by);
• Domestic insurance contracts are concluded by the above two insurers, as well as by the following insurers:
• Insurance Company 'TASK' (www.task.by; office@task.by);
• Insurance Company 'PromTransInvest' (promtransinvest.by; inform@promtransinvest.by);
• Insurance Company 'Belneftestrakh' (www.bns.by; insurance@bns.by);
• Insurance Company 'Asoba' (www.asoba.by; office@asoba.by)

• Drivers of vehicles registered outside the Republic of Belarus without a valid frontierinsurance policy or a national MTPL insurance policy, are subject to administrative liability under Part 5 of Article 18.19 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus of Administrative Offences.