Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade: Belarusian consumer protection law does not apply to purchases from sellers outside the EAEU

Complaints from Belarusian consumers about purchases from foreign sellers have become more frequent lately. The Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade has warned about the risks of ordering on foreign online marketplaces: according to the ministry, Belarusians may find themselves in an unpleasant situation.

The reason, the ministry explained, is that consumers do not always have full information about the special conditions for delivering and returning goods from abroad, and so they run into problems with receiving, inspecting and returning them.

The ministry's main warning is that Belarusian consumer protection law does not apply to orders from sellers registered outside the EAEU. According to the ministry, by making such purchases citizens effectively give up the legal guarantees they are used to.

Such an order is processed and delivered as an international postal item, with the goods going directly from outside the EAEU to the buyer. It cannot be checked before payment: the parcel can only be inspected after payment at a pickup point, including at Belpochta branches.

If the order does not suit the buyer, claims must be sent directly to the foreign seller, and a refund must be agreed with the seller as well. Sending the goods back abroad would have to be done at the buyer's own expense.

The platform itself, which merely provides the seller with a place to post an offer, does not check the quality of the goods and is not responsible for them. Responsibility lies only with the seller.

Before buying, the ministry advises reading the terms of delivery, receipt and return of the goods carefully.