March 2, 2013

Customs Union exempts Ukrainian dairy products on duty rates

Ukrainian producers, working in the regime of free trade, will not be affected by the raise in custom duties for dairy products from 15% to 18.3% imposed by the Eurasian Economic Commission.

Minister for Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission Andrei Slepnev has said about this at a press conference in Moscow, UKRINFORM's own correspondent in Russia reports.

"On Wednesday (Feb 27), the EEC board approved a difficult issue on duty rates for a wide range of dairy products - butter, dairy spreads, fat, oil and cheese. A decision was taken to raise them to 18.3%," Slepnev said.

At the same time, he reminded that the rate was 15% before. According to him, a decision will come into force in 30 days following its publication.

Slepnev stressed that this decision will not concern Ukrainian producers. "As concerns Ukrainian producers, no changes will take place here, because we are in the regime of free trade," he said.

According to him, this concerns primarily the EU countries and New Zealand. The Eurasian Economic Commission was set up at the end of 2011 as a single permanent regulating body of the Customs Union and the Unified Economic Space. It has a status of a supranational management body. Decisions of the Commission are mandatory for fulfilment on the territory of three countries.