Brussels, 17/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Kiev considers the criticism of numerous WTO member countries as unjustified with regard to it customs protection review plan.
In spite of assurances that its request for renegotiation of the tariff concessions - accepted when it joined the WTO in 2008 - is devoid of protectionist intentions, and that it is in conformity with WTO rules, Ukraine is not convincing. Worse is that it arouses the criticism of numerous country members of the WTO. Nearly 60 of them - with the EU and USA in the lead - made their objections known, at a committee meeting on market access in Geneva on Tuesday 16 October, on Ukraine's plan to revise its import duties upwards on more than 350 products.
Kiev bases its initiative on Article 28 of the GATT, which provides for the renegotiation of its tariff concessions every three years under conditions. The article allows a WTO member to modify or withdraw a tariff concession provided it maintains a general level of reciprocity and mutually advantageous concessions not less favourable to trade than what existed previously. However, this reciprocity may only be achieved through compensatory adjustment with respect to other products.
On Tuesday, the EU repeated its systemic fears at Ukraine's request for tariff revision - the biggest request for renegotiation in the history of the WTO - which would affect trade in key agricultural and industrial products. (EH/transl)