The Dutch Senate put its final seal of approval on the EU Ukraine Association Agreement on Tuesday (30 May 2017). The path is now clear for the political parts of the agreement, which encompasses a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, to come into force in the summer 2017. The …
Ukraine, Russia & CIS
In brief: EU and Armenia conclude new cooperation agreement
The EU and Armenia have concluded a Comprehensive and Enhanced Cooperation Agreement today. The announcement was made during a visit to Brussels by the country’s president Serzh Sargysan on Monday (27 February 2017). The pact replaces the Association Agreement and its in-built Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement agreed between …
WTO appellate report strengthens EU case in pork ban dispute with Russia
Russia is probably regretting having appealed the first WTO dispute panel finding against one of its most politically charged trade tussle with the EU. In September 2016, the dispute settlement body in Geneva ruled that Russia’s import ban on pork products from Baltic states introduced in 2014 and extended …
In brief: Russia appeals WTO ruling on commercial vehicle duties
Russia has appealed against a January 2017 WTO dispute settlement ruling indicting it for not following the rulebook in applying trade defence duties against German and Italian commercial vehicles. The WTO’s main disagreement was the fact that Russia only took into account the damage to one company – Sollers – in …
Panel finds Russian antidumping duties on EU vans WTO incompatible
The dispute settlement body of the World Trade Organization has found Russia’s antidumping duties imposed on light commercial vehicles from Germany and Italy to violate the Antidumping Agreement of the WTO and Article VI of the GATS. In 2013, Russia imposed duties of 29.6 percent on German van imports …
Belarus wants to become WTO member in 2017
Belarus might perhaps not quite be “the last dictatorship in Europe”. But it is definitely the last country in Europe that is not a member of the World Trade Organization. The former Soviet country and member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union has recently been reforming its economy, which has been …
Armenia and Moldova in EU pact realignments
This article was written in collaboration with Carmen Valache from our editorial partner, the Wider Europe specialist BNE Intellinews After calling off its deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA) with the EU in 2013 in order to join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Armenia is now pursuing a revamped …
In brief: Ukraine Association Agreement now on track for ratification
A bill submitted to the Dutch Parliament by Mark Rutte greenlighting the Dutch government’s ratification of the EU Ukraine Association Agreement is likely to pass the final hurdle in the upper house, sources say. The deal faced uncertainty after a compromise declaration adopted by EU member state in 15 December. The Christian Democratic …
EU Ukraine association deal declaration faces potential rough ride in Dutch upper house
EU leaders managed to find wording acceptable to all 28 EU member states on the declaration requested by the Netherlands during a Council meeting today. A major hurdle to the final adoption of the Association Agreement and its in-built deep and comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU’s eastern neighbour has …
Council legal service adamant Ukraine association agreement declaration does not contradict substance of deal
Today, EU member states are expected to adopt a Dutch-sponsored declaration on the EU Ukraine Association agreement. The Netherlands insisted on such a declaration as a means to respond to a referendum in April 2016 in which voters rejected the agreement that all other member states and the EU institutions …
