Kazakhstan May Ban Sheet Glass Imports for Six Months

The Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan has submitted for discussion a draft order to temporarily ban the import of certain building materials from countries outside the Eurasian Economic Union. Sheet glass may also be subject to the six-month restrictions.

A complete import ban from third countries (i.e., from countries outside the Eurasian Economic Union) is proposed for the following:

• gypsum board (EAEU TN VED code 6809110000);
• stone products (codes 6801000000, 6802230000, 6802931000, 6802939000) — for example,
• pavement stones, granite slabs, polished stone;
• dry construction mixes (code 3824509000);
• Sheet glass (codes 7003, 7004, 7005) – all types, including opaque, cast, and rolled;
• Portland cement (codes 2523290000, 2523900000).

The import of these goods from EAEU countries (Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan) is not prohibited; the restriction only applies to shipments from "third countries" (China, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan (not a member of the EAEU), and others).

The explanatory note states: the goal is to ensure the capacity of domestic enterprises and protect the domestic market. In other words, Kazakhstani construction materials producers are unable to compete with cheap imports, and the state is trying to provide them with a temporary "safety cushion."

The document does not directly mention specific factories or domestic production figures.

If the bill is adopted, the ban will be in effect for six months. The exact effective date of the order is not specified; it will be determined by the time the order comes into force after its approval and registration.

The draft is currently undergoing public discussion on the "Open Regulatory Legal Acts" portal. All interested parties—from importers to construction companies—can submit their comments and suggestions.

This is not the first time Kazakhstan has imposed temporary restrictions on the import of construction materials. Similar measures were previously applied to cement and certain types of glass.

The draft does not specify any penalties for violating the ban; these will be derived from general customs legislation (confiscation, fines, and the return of goods).

Based on materials from northern-newspaper.ru