Brussels, 26/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU supports Russia's accession to the WTO by the end of the year. However, Moscow should show greater flexibility in its automotive investment regime.
The Council is unanimous: Russia should join the WTO by the end of the year. Moscow wishes to obtain the political approval for its accession at the next ministerial conference of the WTO. “We will do all in our power to make sure that that is the case”, said De Gucht after the informal meeting of the European trade ministers in Brussels on Monday 26 September. “I have the feeling that we made variable progress in our talks with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov last week. However, certain key issues still call for clarifications on the part of the Russians. This is an agreement which will be good for Russia, positive for Europe and for the multilateral trade system. This is why the EU should show flexibility, but Russia must show that it is up to its obligations and the commitments it has made”, the trade commissioner added, in reference to the controversial issue of the Russian regime of investment in the automotive sector and in certain vehicle assembly programmes. (LC/transl.fl)