Starting July 1, 2011, the customs control is lifted at the Russian-Kazakh border and is transferred further to the external borders of the Customs Union, where the control of goods and vehicles entering the Union will be carried out. The Customs Union comprises the Russian Federation, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Byelorussia, and the customs control will apply to goods and vehicles coming in from other countries, the press service of Ural Customs Administration reports.

This is why three customs points are closed down in Magnitogorsk Customs area, namely, the railway customs point Kartaly, and customs points Mariinsky and Nikolayevka.