Individuals will be able to import only 30 kilograms of various food products per month into the territory of Azerbaijan without paying customs duties, the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee said July 12.

According to the committee, the corresponding changes have been made to the "Procedure of privileged and simplified movement of goods, which are not intended for production or commercial purposes, by physical entities through the customs border".

The changes will come into force 30 days after publication, i.e. August 11, 2016, the committee said.

Currently, physical entities are allowed to transport up to 10 kilograms of various food products daily without paying customs duties, the committee said.

According to the committee, other changes include the export of caviar and fish from the territory of Azerbaijan. So, without paying the customs duties, the physical entities once a month will be able to transport up to five kilograms of sturgeon and up to 125 grams of sturgeon caviar through the customs border.

At present, the volumes of export of fish and caviar from Azerbaijan are not clearly indicated in the customs regulations, the committee said.

Moreover, the changes include the import of precious metals and stones by physical entities into the territory of Azerbaijan, the committee said.

According to the committee, at present, physical entities can import no more than 20 grams of gold and gold jewelry or household goods, as well as no more than 0.5 carat of processed, sorted, faceted and fixed diamonds with a total cost of no more than $1,500 (an additional amount of $500 per each accompanying person under 18) into the territory of Azerbaijan without paying customs duties.

According to the changes, such volumes can be transported no more than once a month, the committee said.

According to the committee, in general, physical entities once a month will be able to import goods with a total cost of $1,500 (an additional amount of $500 per each accompanying person under 18) into the territory of Azerbaijan without paying customs duties and taxes.

According to the committee, the economic analysis shows that while registering the goods by using certain people, physical entities have been recently trying to transport those goods through the border by indicating that those goods are not intended for production or commercial purposes, which results in tax evasion and smuggling.