Belarus Uses 75 Restrictions against Russian Goods :: Charter'97 :: News

Russia has identified 75 restrictive measures of administrative character acting in Belarus against Russian goods. The loss from that is USD 2.8 billion. This figure is included to the report of the Ministry of Social and Economic development of Russia on social and economic development in January-September 2006, Prime-TASS informs. At present consultations on liberalization of trade conditions in line with the bilateral commitments of the two sides are taking place.

As we have informed, last week it was reported that Russia is to limit import from Belarus. As said by Russian Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Andrey Sharonov, Moscow has cut Russian state purchases of Belarusian goods. It has been done in response to discrimination of Russian goods when purchased at Belarusian budget expense. Russia plans to act in response to Belarus’ actions with the same limitations. At the moment, Russian Agriculture Ministry, the Ministry of Regional Development and heads of subjects of the Russian Federation have received letters and asked to provide information on deliveries of Belarusian goods.

In the letters sent by Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry is was said that starting from 2006 a new law on federal-budget-financed purchases comes into force. According to it, a national regime is to be established at the territory of Russia, which foresees that foreign goods are allowed on equal footing with Russian goods. Earlier the application of a national regime wasn’t stipulated by Russian laws. However, this regime is introduced exclusively on terms of reciprocity. In case at the territory of a foreign state discrimination measures are used against Russian goods or Russian traders, the Law gives the Economic Development and Trade Ministry a right to set conditions for admission of foreign goods.

As of October 1, 2006, 149 restrictive measures against Russian goods used by foreign states for defending their internal market are used, including 50 antidumping measures, 8 protective measures, 91 measure of administrative control over trade (75 of them in Belarus). Besides, 9 antidumping and 7 special protective investigations are being carried out.