 Russia will join the World Trade Organization (WTO) no sooner than it settles the timber-tarriff conflict with the EU, said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.
The duties imposed by Moscow contradict the agreement of EU and Russia, the commissioner announced in the air of Finland’s TV, specifying that Russia won’t become the WTO member until some satisfactory solution is found.
The EU leadership backs up Finland that decided to take counter actions
to set off the costs of its paper manufacturers, Rehn made clear.
Moscow hiked timber export duties in June of 2007 and April of 2008 and is willing to raise them again January 1, 2009.
The duties materially affect the cost of product of Scandinavian
enterprises. Finland that buys 20 percent of timber in Russia is the
main victim, as the further rise in tariffs will mean hefty losses for
local wood-processing and paper-making industries. The conflict
aggravated past week once Finland pledged to step up the transit duties
on goods going to Russia.
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