Ukraine, Moldova to settle commercial disputes without WTO intervention

The disputes in the commercial relations between Ukraine and Moldova will no longer be examined by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The parties agreed to identify solutions at bilateral level, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference, Inga Ionesii, head of the Economy Ministry’s Commercial Policy Division, said that earlier Ukraine informed the WTO about the inequitable application of ecological taxes by Moldova on foreign economic entities, mainly Ukrainian, which import products in Tetra Pak into Moldova. Moldova’s application to the WTO concerned the excises put on strong alcoholic beverages, especially Moldovan cognac, sold on the Ukrainian market. Owing to these taxes, the Moldovan beverages in Ukraine are more expensive than the locally produced ones. In the last meeting of the joint Moldovan-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission that was held in Chisinau, the sides agreed to settle the commercial disputes between them. The Ministry of Economy of Moldova formulated amendments that impose the same ecological taxes on national producers and on foreign importers. The amendments were approved by the Government and are to be passed by Parliament. “We know that the Ukrainian colleagues are also working on modifications that concern the tax policy,” said Inga Ionesii. The process of settling the two commercial disputes will be synchronized. By the end of spring, the sides will announce the identified solutions concomitantly.