Ukraine and the European Union have reached compromise in the question on export duties, having overcome the last obstacle on the way to the World Trade Organization. Commissioner of the European Union Peter Mandelson stated in an interview in London.
“I can say that we have reached a decision on the basis of compromise, which has not satisfied me in full scope and hasn’t satisfied the Ukrainian side, so we are on equal approaches to this compromise and in any case we have what to celebrate, we may celebrate the removal of the last obstacle on the Ukraine’s way to the WTO,” the EU Commissioner said.
He noted that in the course of negotiations Ukraine, in particular, agreed to restrict the number of existing export duties, and not to increase them in future. Peter Mandelson did not note any other details, adding that this day became extremely important for Ukraine and the EU.
“Thus, this is a very historical day, a very important breakthrough, and I want to congratulate the Ukrainian participants of the negotiations on the results, and all of us – on the compromise”, Peter Mandelson said.
As earlier reported, the issue of export duties was the last to be decided by Ukraine at the negotiations with the EU, for Ukraine to become a WTO member. The European Union demanded to cancel all the export duties and Ukraine, in its turn, asked to introduce a moratorium on introducing new ones, and not to increase existing export duties.
