Russia filed a lawsuit against Ukraine in the WTO

Russia filed a comprehensive lawsuit in the World Trade Organization (WTO) to Ukraine. The head of the Ministry of Economic Development, Maxim Oreshkin, announced the request of Moscow for consultations in the WTO on May 20 after a meeting with the head of the organization Robert Azeved, Interfax reports.

According to Oreshkin, the reason for contacting the second was the restrictions and prohibitions introduced by Kiev against Moscow since 2014. Also, the claims of the Russian side caused special requirements and procedures for Russian goods, services and citizens in the Ukrainian market and transit through Ukraine.

As the head of the Ministry of Economic Development indicated, "some of these measures not only do not protect the Ukrainian economy, but on the contrary, create additional problems for it." As examples of restrictions on Oreshkin, a ban on the import of meat and dairy products, fish, wine products, equipment for railways, fertilizers, a ban on the participation of Russian companies in the privatization of Ukrainian enterprises, restrictions on operations with a hryvnia and special environmental, sanitary, and veterinary control in relation to light products made in the Russian Federation. industry, cosmetics, household chemicals.

Oreshkin recalled that if the consultations “do not bring the expected result”, Russia, as part of the proceedings, may transfer the case to the arbitration group. At the consultation of the parties, according to the WTO procedures, two months are allocated.

The regime of sanctions against Russia has been operating in Ukraine since 2014; restrictive measures are associated with the entry of Crimea into the Russian Federation, which in Kyiv is considered annexation. In February 2017, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko warned that the sanctions will be tightened due to the recognition of Moscow passports of the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass. In mid -May, Poroshenko approved an expanded sanctions list, among other things, the social networks of VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Yandex, Mail.ru Group, Kaspersky Laboratory, Dr.Web, publisher of Abbyy and 1C electronic dictionaries (produces, in particular, programs for accountants). After that, the Kremlin said that they were “not yet ready” to talk about response sanctions against Ukraine.

Ukraine also filed a lawsuit in the WTO to Russia - in February 2017. The claims of Kyiv were caused by restrictions on transit introduced for Ukrainian trucks in Moscow in 2016.