Ukraine has filed a lawsuit in the WTO against the Russian Federation on the limitation of transit
Kiev accuses Moscow of aggression in trading and claims to have almost a complete stop transit from the Ukraine to third countries.
Moscow. 13 Feb. INTERFAX.RU — Ukraine February 9, sent to the world trade organization (WTO) the requirement for the establishment of the expert group in the framework of the case about the limitations of transit from the territory of Ukraine through Russian territory to third countries — Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. This was announced by the Ministry of economic development of Ukraine.
“We are deeply convinced that the trading aggression of the Russian Federation, including illegal actions to restrict the transit (and de facto almost complete ban) from Ukraine to third countries should have an objective to experts of the WTO and certainly should be abolished,” is contained in the release statement of the Deputy Minister — trade representative of Ukraine Natalia Nikolskaya.
She claims that since applying restrictive measures to the export of goods from Ukraine to the countries of Central/Eastern Asia in 2016 decreased by 38.3% compared to the year 2015. The Ministry of economic development of Ukraine in General estimates the loss of export of goods to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan over the past year to more than $400 million.
According to the report, with the aim of protecting the interests of Ukraine and Ukrainian exporters, the Ministry of economic development of Ukraine in 2016, the beginning of the settlement process in the WTO against restrictions transit and on September 14 sent a demand on consultations. As the first stage of consultations of the Russian Federation — 10 Nov — Russia has not lifted restrictions in the area of transit, the Ukrainian side has submitted to the WTO the requirement to establish an expert group to start the next phase of the dispute — examination of the merits.
The Ukrainian Ministry reminds that this is the second lawsuit to WTO against Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in early July 2016 amended the decree dated 1 January 2016 “On measures to ensure economic security and national interests of the Russian Federation in the implementation of international transit transport of goods from the territory of Ukraine on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the territory of the Russian Federation”.
According to the amendments, the rules for import of goods from Ukraine through Russia apply not only to Kazakhstan but also in Kyrgyzstan.
The decree of the President of the Russian Federation from January 1, including established international transit road and rail transport of cargoes from Ukraine to Kazakhstan across Russian territory are carried out only from the territory of Belarus “, subject to the application to cargo spaces (compartments) of vehicles and railway rolling stock, premises, containers and other places where are or can be the goods, means of identification (seals), including operating on the basis of technology global navigation satellite system GLONASS, as well as the presence of drivers of vehicles engaged in road transport account coupons”.