Brussels, 24/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - In addition to the complaint against the recycling fee on vehicles, which is already being examined by a special group, Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is planning to also bring other issues before the World Trade Organisation in Geneva.
There is friction on all issues - human rights, international policy, Ukraine, energy - but tension is at its height when it comes to trade between the EU and Russia, in the run-up to the summit to be held in Brussels on 28 January. The Commission plans to file a series of complaints at the WTO against Russia, De Gucht said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was to attend a meeting of trade ministers on Friday 24 January. The commissioner expressed disappointment at Russia's failure to abide by its WTO obligations and said “we are seriously considering going to the WTO on a number of issues”. He declined to say what complaints were under consideration.
The EU has already obtained the setting in place of a panel to rule on the lawfulness of the recycling fee imposed by Moscow on imported vehicles (DS 4623 at the WTO, see EUROPE 10791). On sanitary and phytosanitary matters, Russia's recurrent restrictions against European products are poisoning bilateral trade relations and the Commission has for several months now had its sights on tariff increases for about ten imported products, since Russia's accession to the WTO in summer 2012. Early January, Russia brought its first case against the EU before the WTO. It challenges EU antidumping taxes against Russian exports of ammonium nitrate and steel products (see EUROPE 10991). (EH/transl.jl)