WTO Ready to Cooperate with Russia in Agricultural and Food Sector

The World Trade Organisation is ready to cooperate with Russia in the agricultural and food sphere. This was announced yesterday at a press conference on 'Questions regarding Russia's integration into the WTO in the agricultural and food sector. Problems of state regulation in agriculture' by Russian Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade Maxim Medvedkov.

According to Medvedkov, at talks in Geneva on Russia's application to join the WTO, Russia was able to persuade its Western partners that it needs to develop mechanisms to protect its domestic agricultural market. Russian also persuaded Western countries that these mechanisms would not contradict either Russian law or WTO rules. This also concerns import duties on agricultural products, which periodically raise annoyance among WTO members.