Legal and Practical Problems of Definition of Goods in Public Law Regulation of Foreign Trade

Objectives of the study. The material of the article considers the legal concept of goods in public law regulation of foreign trade. The substantive characteristics of the term in question undergo a critical analysis. International, regional and national legal foundations of foreign trade turnover are analyzed. Different types of official wording of goods in the law of the Eurasian Economic Union and in the Russian legislation are investigated. Research into causes hindering a common interpretation of goods is conducted. The practical consequences of law enforcement and judicial discrepancies, examples of specific conflict situations arising from customs legal relations are demonstrated. Major and minor criteria are established for the general definition of goods both imported into and exported out of the country in the context of Russia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. Conclusions. As the objectives of the study are achieved, the author's position of a legal interpretation of goods is formed. It is proposed to include materiality and customs classification in accordance with the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activities of the Eurasian Economic Union as the main defining criteria of goods. The derived features will serve as the possibility of transfer of goods across the border (the customs border of the Union and/or the state border of Russia) by any means of transportation, including the accompanied baggage of individuals crossing the border. The derived features clarify wording such as “arrival of goods on the customs territory of the Union by any means”, thus excluding the transmission of information via the Internet.