Society

08:16, 14.01.2009 | Far East Russia

Russia has temporarily increased the duties on imports of foreign cars to 30% of the customs value, after joining the World Trade Organization rates will again be lowered to 25%, said Director of the Information Bureau on Russia's WTO accession Alexei PORTANSKY.

Russia in January 12, 2009 for a period of 9 months has raised tariffs on imports of trucks and cars by 5 percentage points. Representatives of the European Commission the previous day had made the declaration that it is contrary to the agreement signed with the EU.

Portansky confirmed that indeed in a bilateral agreement with the European Union, signed in May 2004, the fixed rate of duty on the import of foreign cars at 25%. According to him, the WTO has a tradition according to which the country's negotiators hold to the agreements that have already been reached.

"Here the EU sees a contradiction. But formally, according to the "letter of the law”, we have the right to change the fee until the time of entry into the WTO. We have not said that we will stick to the status quo. And from the moment of accession, we will sure return to the previous level," - said the expert.