The Armenian government has approved a proposal from the Ministry of Economy to exempt small export businesses from state duties.

The duty is paid for customs clearance. Earlier, consignments of up to AMD 100,000 (about $200) were exempted from it, now the privilege extends to businesses exporting goods worth up to AMD 1 million (about $2000).

Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan told a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, January 13 that such support could be "significant" for small businesses.

"For instance, in 2020, we exempted [some] wine exporters from duties. As a result, wine shipments to Europe increased by about 50% in 2021," Kerobyan said.