MINSK, 2 December (BelTA) – The application of export customs duties on certain kinds of commercial timber was discussed during negotiations with the European Union on Belarus' accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Brussels, Belgium on 25-26 November, the press service of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry told BelTA.
Belarusian Deputy Forestry Minister Vladimir Krech noted that the sides have been able to address virtually half of the disputed issues since the dialogue on the matter began. “In my opinion, the present dialogue is rather constructive. We've sketched out further steps on interaction and scheduled another round of talks for 17 December. We intend to address all differences of opinion with the European Union as a trade partner by making mutual concessions,” the official said.
Belarus has been in negotiations on joining the WTO for over 20 years already. The work was greatly intensified in the last few years.
Earlier BelTA quoted Ambassador-at-Large of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chief Negotiator on Belarus' accession to the WTO Vladimir Serpikov as saying that the government wants the negotiations on WTO accession to complete in 2020. "We would like to do it by the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nur Sultan, which will be held in June 2020. We are doing everything to accomplish this ambitious goal. The most important thing is to join the WTO on the terms that correspond to the national interests," he stressed.
