“We have agreed, the provisional application to delay until December 31 next year,” EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said in Brussels on Friday after talks with Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pawel Klimkin.
De Gucht also said the EU wanted to because of the shift extend their unilateral trade benefits granted for the crisis-ridden Ukraine by the end of next year. The Union had removed all import duties for Ukrainian goods. However, the EU Council of Ministers must still approve the changes.
Russia had threatened to impose tariffs on imports from the Ukraine when the agreement as originally planned, came into force on 1 November 2014. Previously goods from Ukraine can largely be exported duty-free to Russia.
Moscow’s concerns
fears The government in Moscow that future goods from the EU, for Russia raises duties, then could come via Ukraine duty-free into the country. This would represent a loss of revenue of around two billion euros according to their calculations.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had used according to a report by Interfax news agency in the European Union for the planned reduction of tariffs on EU goods to move. Russia’s Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said that Moscow would raise tariffs on Ukrainian goods, as long as the ratification of the trade agreement between the EU and Kiev will move.
Ulyukayev further said that the dialogue would continue over the next 15 months. “We are our arguments in our colleagues will forward their arguments.” Should be in breach of the agreement, Russia will take protective measures, Ulyukayev warned the Russian agency Interfax, according to.
ratification continues
The Ukraine was an agreement originally signed a few months ago. The then President Viktor Yanukovych stopped the project but under pressure from the Russian government. The turnaround Kiev caused a conflict with Russia.
The FTA provides for a significant opening up of the EU and Ukraine markets and adapting the standards. Moscow feared a threat to his own trade. The EU has already tried in several rounds with technical experts to refute this concern.
“I think that there are no unsolvable problems,” EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht said. “We now have 15 months time.” The Belgian said the process of ratification of the Agreement should continue regardless of the displacement. “Both the Ukraine and the European Parliament will ratify next week.”
bea / wa / gmf (rtr, AP)
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