The government website published an order to sign a protocol with the European Union, which defines the procedure for exporting Russian round timber at preferential rates. Russia agreed to preferential deliveries within the quota during negotiations on joining the WTO. The Europeans will divide the quotas among themselves. Earlier, the head of the Russian delegation at the negotiations with the trade organization, Maxim Medvedkov, said that the quota for spruce would be 5.9 million cubic meters with a duty rate of 13 instead of 25%, for pine for the European Union - 3.6 million cubic meters with a rate of 15 instead of 25%.

According to the regulation, the quota will be allocated for a year and reconfirmed at the end of the year. Russian companies must purchase a license allowing them to use the quotas. And European companies will be able to apply to the European Commission for imports at reduced rates within the quotas received by their countries. To do this, they must conclude at least a preliminary contract with a Russian exporter. However, according to the document, the European Commission has the right to refuse to allocate a quota. It can approve applications not in chronological order, but by dividing applicants into "traditional exporters" (who have already imported 5,000 cubic meters) and all the rest. From 70 to 85% of the entire quota can be reserved for traditional ones.

According to Lesprom Network estimates, the volume of Russian pine exports to the EU in 2010 was 510,000 cubic meters, and spruce exports were about 6.3 million cubic meters. The pine quota exceeds the export volume by more than 7 times, but by government order only 7% of the quota can be carried over to the following year.

The main markets for Russian timber are China (11.3 million cubic meters in January–September) and Finland (2.5 million). These two countries account for 91% of all exports. Other active importers from the EU are Sweden (190,000 cubic meters) and Germany (114,000 cubic meters).

The forest will be sold according to tradition