After May 10, a group of Ukrainian experts will come to Chisinau to thoroughly analyze the situation created after Moldova decided to impose import taxes on a number of Ukrainian products, in concert with colleagues from the Ministry of Economy and other national governmental institutions. These will also examine the barriers to the export of Moldovan products to Ukraine and will formulate proposals for overcoming the created situation, based on the mutually advantageous interest of the sides. The issue was discussed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Octavian Calmac in a telephone conversation with the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv, IPN reports.
According to the Ministry of Economy, they discussed the Moldovan Government’s decision to introduce customs duties on the import of dairy and meat products and cement from Ukraine starting with December 31, 2016. Octavian Calmac underlined that this is a temporary measure aimed at protecting the internal market from massive imports from Ukraine. The measure is in accordance with the norms of the World Trade Organization and the agreement on the creation of the free trade area in the CIS.
Octavian Calmac and Stepan Kubiv also agreed that all the proposals should be discussed in a bilateral meeting that will take place in Kiev at the end of May. An official invitation was already sent by Stepan Kubiv to his Moldovan counterpart.
In a meeting of the Ukrainian government earlier, Stepan Kubiv said the measure taken by the Moldovan authorities includes elements of Russian aggression. He voiced hope that the created situation will be resolved as a result of the meeting with his Moldovan counterpart or Kiev could impose response measures in relation to the Moldovan products.
