General commitments on market access

Quantitative restrictions on imports, such as quotas, bans, permits, prior authorization requirements, licensing requirements or other requirements or restrictions that could not be justified under the WTO provisions would be eliminated and not (re) introduced.

Railway transportation charges on goods in transit would, by 1 July 2013, be applied in a manner which conforms with the WTO provisions. The Russian Federation would apply the same rail transportation charges to imported products as they do to similar products moving between domestic locations. Regulated railway tariffs for transit of goods would be published before their entry into force.

From the date of accession, importers of alcohol, pharmaceuticals and some products with encryption technology would not need import licences.

Upon accession, the Russian Federation would apply the Custom Union Generalised System of Preferences scheme (CU GSP) for developing and least-developed countries. 152 developing countries and least-developed countries benefit from the CU GSP.

Under this scheme, the import duties applicable to products eligible for tariff preferences and originating from developing countries were at the level of 75% of the MFN duty rates and from least-developed countries at the level of 0%.

The Russian Federation would reform its tariff regime for sugar in 2012, with a view to further liberalisation.

By the date of accession, any tariff exemption for space equipment would be provided on a Most Favoured Nation basis.

No licences would be required for imports of more than a dozen encryption technology products (the list includes electronic digital signature devices, personal smart-cards or wireless radio equipment). For those products, any existing import restrictions would be eliminated. No new restrictions, including experts’ evaluations, approvals, and licences, would be adopted or applied. For those encryption technology related products needing an import licence, expert evaluation and approval would only be needed once.

Products including alcohol, wood and meat would be subject to measures requiring their declaration and/or entry at designated customs checkpoints. Any measures contrary to the WTO Agreement would be eliminated as of the date of accession. The Russian Federation would not apply country-specific customs procedures.

The Russian Federation would apply all its laws, regulations and other measures governing transit of goods (including energy) in conformity with GATT and WTO provisions. From accession, all laws and regulations regarding the application and the level of charges and customs fees imposed in connection with transit would be published.

The Russian Federation would review market access requirements for the establishment of direct branches of foreign banks and securities firms in the context of future negotiations on the accession of the Russian Federation to the OECD or within the framework of the next round of WTO multilateral trade negotiations.

In its participation in preferential trade agreements, Russia would observe the provisions of the WTO Agreement without any differentiating between those agreements already in effect upon accession and those which would come into effect in the future.

Date: 2015-01-12; view: 692