WTO Russia

Russia is close to joining the WTO after being offered a compromise by Georgia

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Georgia, like all WTO members, has an effective veto on Russia’s membership, and it is the last to agree. Its offer of a compromise deal was the climax of a long negotiation, overseen by Swiss mediators, about how to handle trade through two breakaway regions of Georgia that are loyal to Russia.

Russian negotiator Maxim Medvedkov said Russia would give its response by early next week.

For Russia, which has strong exports of oil and gas, the benefits of WTO membership may be slow to materialize, though the World Bank estimates it could increase Russian GDP by 3.3 percent in the medium term.

Advocates of membership say Russian consumers will benefit and Russia will have to become more efficient, making good on the government’s mantra of diversification by putting the oil-dominated, state-led economy on a diet of rule-based openness.

Source: www.reuters.com

Russia and EU agreed on WTO terms

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Russia and EU have solved all bilateral issues pertaining Russia’s entrance into WTO. There is only one obstacle left on the way to WTO – Georgia’s opposition. Georgia’s opposition is the final barrier, and Russia needs to solve this before a WTO summit on December 15.

Karel de Gucht, the EU trade commissioner, has called on Georgia to drop opposition. “There is now very little time left to reach a bilateral agreement between Georgia and Russia. I call on both parties to continue their efforts to find a solution in a spirit of compromise,” The Financial Times quoted de Gucht as saying last week.

In televised comments last week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said his country would “survive” if it didn’t get WTO membership.

Source: www.retail.ru, en.rian.ru

A New Round of Russia’s WTO Accession Consultations in Geneva

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The Working party has started the regular consultation round on Russia’s accession to WTO. During the informal talks the WTO-members will study Russia’s suggestions upon some sections of the Working party report, considering customs formalities, export duties as well as the pricing policy. The Russian delegation will also hold an informal multi-party consultation on agriculture, meat market access, Russia’s commitments in the sphere of agriculture.

Source: www.tks.ru

EU Sees Russia in WTO Within 12 Months

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The European Union confirmed on Thursday that Russia could join the WTO within the next 12 months, following agreement to phase out Russian export tariffs on raw materials.

Russia’s willingness to phase out export duties on raw materials such as timber — which drive up the cost of inputs for European manufacturers such as the Nordic timber and paper industries — removes a European veto on Russia’s accession.

There are other hurdles remaining to tackle before accession, such as state payments to farmers and ceilings on beef imports entering the country at low tariffs. At some point Russia and other WTO members also will have to address Georgia’s objections to Russian membership of the WTO.

Source: www.themoscowtimes.com

Russia is redrafting application documents for WTO

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The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation redrafted application documents for WTO in view of the new Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Russia has been trying to access WTO since 1993. The controversy was mainly connected with fixing quotas for meat import in Russia and state support of the agricultural producers. June 2009 Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan announced their access as a unified customs territory and suspended bilateral talks with WTO. October 2009 they renewed the dialogue on a stand-alone basis but on agreed terms.

Source: www.tks.ru