MOSCOW, August 17 (RAPSI) – The Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals has overturned dismissal of a lawsuit against the Energy Ministry’s refusal to approve low customs rates for oil produced at the Verkhnechonskoye oil field in Siberia in 2012 and 2013, RAPSI learnt in the court on Monday.

Rosneft and its 100 percent subsidiary RN Holding (formerly TNK-BP Holding) sued the Energy Ministry over its refusal to confirm the company’s production and export of oil as the basis for requesting a customs duty refund in 2012-2013.
As reported earlier, had the court ruled in favor of Rosneft, the company could have requested a customs duty refund in the amount of 60 billion rubles ($924 million).

On June 30, the Moscow Commercial Court upheld the Energy Ministry’s refusal. Rosneft appealed the ruling.

In early June, the court rejected a similar request from another Rosneft subsidiary, Verkhnechonskneftegaz (VCNG).